Fewer Americans now say media exaggerated COVID-19 risks, but big partisan gaps persist
The percentage who say journalists have exaggerated the risks of the outbreak has decreased notably in recent weeks.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
The percentage who say journalists have exaggerated the risks of the outbreak has decreased notably in recent weeks.
More than two-thirds of adults ages 65 or older said they were following news of the pandemic very closely.
A new analysis of open-ended responses to a survey of U.S. adults looks at the specific storylines or claims about COVID-19 that Americans said they were exposed to.
People in this group are most likely to say the outbreak has been made too big of a deal and journalists have been exaggerating the risks.
More than half of these social media news consumers say they have encountered made-up news about COVID-19.
Responses to cable news coverage and the pandemic vary notably among Americans who identify Fox News, MSNBC or CNN as their main source of political news.
About half say they have seen at least some made-up news about the virus; 29% think it was created in a lab.
61% give equal attention to national and local coronavirus news.
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