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Home Research Topics News Habits & Media
Pew Research CenterJuly 6, 2016
The Modern News Consumer

Attitudinally, Americans are split in their loyalty to news sources; behaviorally, they are overwhelmingly loyal

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Attitudinally, Americans are split in their loyalty to news sources; behaviorally, they are overwhelmingly loyal

Post Infographics

The Modern News Consumer
About four-in-ten Americans often get news online
News watchers overwhelmingly prefer television, while readers prefer the web
Rapid growth since 2013 in portion using mobile to get news; desktop/laptop usage holds steady
Few have a lot of confidence in information from professional news outlets or friends and family, though majorities show at least some trust in both, but social media garners less trust than either
Three-fourths of Americans think news organizations keep political leaders in line but nearly the same portion say news media are biased
Americans are more divided in whether they think news they get online from friends and family is one-sided
Attitudinally, Americans are split in their loyalty to news sources; behaviorally, they are overwhelmingly loyal
Very loyal news consumers follow news at a much higher rate. They are also more likely to think media organizations do a good job informing people and to trust the info they provide
TV dominates as preferred news platform among very loyal news consumers; wider mix among the non-loyal
In a real-time analysis, nearly 4-in-10 of those who got news from links could recall the source every time
On social media, the level of engagement declines as the input required from the individual increases
Despite digital advances, most still share news by word of mouth
In a real time analysis, speaking with others is the most common way to respond to getting news online
Those who seek news online more likely to get news from websites than those who happen upon news – but both are about as likely to get news from social media
Those who prefer to get news online have more negative attitudes toward the news media. Online, however, they’re much more likely to intentionally seek news out
Young adults are less enthusiastic about news , but they are more likely to get news online
Young adults no more likely to engage with news on social media
Democrats are more trusting of information from the national news media, but liberal Democrats are about as likely to see bias as moderate/liberal Republicans
Liberal Dems, conservative Reps more likely to get one-sided news from family and friends online, but conservative Republicans are most likely to think that’s OK
Online news consumers more likely to get news from professional outlets than from friends, family – but just as likely to think each provides relevant news

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