Why U.S. adults don’t pay for local news
Among U.S. adults who have not paid or given money to any local news source in the past year, % who say the main reason they didn’t pay is …
Note: Respondents who did not answer are not shown.
Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Aug. 18-24, 2025.
PEW-KNIGHT INITIATIVE
Why U.S. adults don’t pay for local news
Among U.S. adults who have not paid or given money to any local news source in the past year, % who say the main reason they didn’t pay is …
| Year | Can find plenty of free local news | Not interested enough in local news to pay for it | It’s too expensive | The news provided is not good enough to pay for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50% | 29% | 10% | 9% |
| 2024 | 49% | 30% | 8% | 10% |
| 2018 | 49% | 26% | 12% | 10% |
Note: Respondents who did not answer are not shown.
Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Aug. 18-24, 2025.
PEW-KNIGHT INITIATIVE
