Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

News Platform Fact Sheet

In a fragmented media environment with seemingly endless sources of information to choose from, Americans’ news habits have changed dramatically in the 21st century. Today, an overwhelming majority of Americans get news at least sometimes from digital devices. This fact sheet looks at the platforms Americans turn to for news, including patterns and trends.

News consumption across platforms

A large majority of U.S. adults (86%) say they at least sometimes get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet, including 57% who say they do so often. These figures are almost identical to the share who got news from digital devices in 2023.

Digital devices are by far the most common way Americans get news, although a majority (63%) get news from television at least sometimes. The portion of Americans who often get news from TV has stayed fairly steady over the last few years, now standing at 33%.

Americans turn to radio and print publications for news far less frequently. In 2024, just 26% of U.S. adults say they often or sometimes get news in print, the lowest number our surveys have recorded.

Bar charts showing news consumption across platforms

When asked which of these platforms they prefer to get news on, 58% of Americans say they prefer a digital device, far higher than the share who prefer TV (32%). Relatively few Americans prefer radio (6%) or print (4%).


News platform preferences

% of U.S. adults who prefer ____ for getting news

YearDigital devicesTelevisionRadioPrint publications
202458%32%6%4%
2023582765
2022533375
2021503675
2020523575

Note: “Digital devices” include smartphones, computers and tablets.

Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


News across digital platforms

There are several different pathways Americans use to get news on their digital devices. News websites or apps and search engines are the most common: About two-thirds of U.S. adults at least sometimes get news in each of these ways. A little more than half (54%) at least sometimes get news from social media, and 27% say the same about podcasts.

Bar charts showing news consumption across digital platforms

News websites or apps are also the most preferred source for news. About a quarter of U.S. adults (23%) say they prefer to get their news this way, compared with 18% who prefer social media, 12% who prefer search and 5% who prefer podcasts. The share of Americans who prefer social media has increased by 6 percentage points since 2023.

Read more about how Americans get news on social media.


Digital news platform preferences

% of U.S. adults who prefer ___ for getting news

YearSearchNews websitesSocial mediaPodcasts
202412%23%18%5%
20231525126
20221223134
20211124104
20201226113

Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Who uses each news platform?

News consumption across platforms varies by age, gender, race, ethnicity, educational attainment and political leaning. For example, Americans ages 50 and older are more likely than younger adults to turn to television and print publications for news – and less likely to use digital sources like social media or podcasts.

% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who get news at least sometimes from …

TelevisionRadioPrint
publications
Digital devices
Total63%42%26%86%
Men61422586
Women66422785
Ages 18-2946271891
30-4951431991
50-6472512687
65+86434370
White65442886
Black75432683
Hispanic60382185
Asian*47251891
High school or less69422677
Some college63422489
College+57422892
Rep/Lean Rep65462486
Dem/Lean Dem63392987
* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.

% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who get news at least sometimes from …

News websites
or apps
Social mediaSearchPodcasts
Total66%54%66%27%
Men68496530
Women64596624
Ages 18-2962787434
30-4970647034
50-6471456523
65+56285314
White66496425
Black64587029
Hispanic64676531
Asian*69657330
High school or less55546022
Some college66576827
College+76526932
Rep/Lean Rep64556528
Dem/Lean Dem70556827
* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.

% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who prefer ___ for getting news

TelevisionRadioPrint
publications
Digital devices
Total32%6%4%58%
Men296460
Women345456
Ages 18-2982386
30-49186372
50-64428346
65+605827
White337555
Black433350
Hispanic273366
Asian*143279
High school or less415449
Some college325359
College+216567
Rep/Lean Rep327357
Dem/Lean Dem305559
* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.

% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who prefer ___ for getting news

News websites
or apps
Social mediaSearchPodcasts
Total23%18%12%5%
Men2517126
Women2019133
Ages 18-291943176
30-492722167
50-64267103
65+17361
White2514115
Black1520123
Hispanic1831134
Asian*3027166
High school or less1319124
Some college2119145
College +3416116
Rep/Lean Rep2118136
Dem/Lean Dem2618114
* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.

Find out more

This fact sheet was compiled by Research Assistant Christopher St. Aubin and Research Analyst Jacob Liedke.

Read the methodology and the topline.

Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This is the latest analysis in Pew Research Center’s ongoing investigation of the state of news, information and journalism in the digital age, a research program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Follow these links for more in-depth analysis of news consumption:

Read all our reports and blog posts related to news platforms and sources.