Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

More Americans Going Online for News

A decade ago, just 13% of Americans said they got most of their news about national and international news from the internet, placing it behind television, newspapers and radio as a main source for news. In 2010, the internet is the main news source for 41% of the public, and it is slowly closing in on America’s news king, television — which is still the main, though declining, news source for 61% of adults. As has been the case since 2008, more Americans now cite the internet as where they get most of their news than cite newspapers (currently 31%), which have seen their popularity as a main news source substantially decline as the internet’s popularity has risen. The proportion of Americans using the internet as a main news source has grown across all age groups, but younger adults are more likely to go online for current events than older adults. The internet is cited as a main news source by a majority of adults younger than age 30, adults with at least some college education and Americans earning more than $75,000 a year. Read More