Attention to COVID-19 news increased slightly amid omicron surge; partisans differ in views about the outbreak
37% of U.S. adults say they are following news about the coronavirus outbreak very closely. That is up from 31% in March 2021.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
37% of U.S. adults say they are following news about the coronavirus outbreak very closely. That is up from 31% in March 2021.
Looking at respondents to 2020 and 2021 surveys reveals differences in vaccination rates based on where people turned most for COVID-19 news.
The total number of journalists assigned to state capitol buildings is up 11% since 2014, though figures vary widely by state. And as newspapers employ fewer statehouse reporters, nonprofits are filling much of the void.
During the first 60 days of the new administration, roughly half of stories about the Biden administration mentioned Donald Trump in some way.
A survey of U.S.-based journalists finds 77% would choose their career all over again, though 57% are highly concerned about future restrictions on press freedom.
Americans inhabited different information environments, with wide gaps in how they viewed the election and COVID-19.
Immigration was one of the five topics most covered by 25 major news outlets in the first 60 days of the Biden administration.
48% of US adults say the government should restrict false information online, even if it means losing some freedom to access/publish content.
Partisans differ on whether social media companies’ decisions had a major impact on the election.
In recent years, several new options have emerged in the social media universe, many of which explicitly present themselves as alternatives to more established social media platforms. Free speech ideals and heated political themes prevail on these sites, which draw praise from their users and skepticism from other Americans.
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