Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
The revolution in communications technology is clearly changing the way Americans live, and it has created a highly competitive environment for those who provide news and information to the public. Nearly seven-in-ten Americans (68%) now use a computer on at least an occasional basis, up from 61% in 1998 and 58% in 1996. Almost as […]
Americans have decidedly different views of the technical and cultural changes of the 20th century. On the whole, technological changes are viewed as advancements for the better, while cultural changes are evolutions of mixed value to society. Inventions involving communications and travel win plaudits from broad cross sections of the public. Younger generations are somewhat […]
The potential for conducting public opinion surveys online is a hot topic today. With the Internet’s tremendous growth, an online poll can now compile literally tens of thousands of opinions quickly and at a fraction of the cost of traditional telephone surveys. Already many commercial websites invite people to voice their views on a range […]
As the number of Americans using Internet technology continues to grow, people increasingly turn to the Internet to do research for work, get entertainment and travel information, shop, and catch up with friends and family. This wide range of activities reflects the expanding Internet population, which is beginning to look like a broader cross-section of […]
Introduction and Summary The Internet audience is not only growing, it is getting decidedly mainstream. Two years ago, when just 23% of Americans were going online, stories about technology were the top news draw. Today, with 41% of adults using the Internet, the weather is the most popular online news attraction. Increasingly people without college […]
During the 1998 campaign season, approximately 11 million Americans logged onto the Internet for news and information about the elections. This is an increase of four million people over 1996, bringing the total to 6% of the general population, up from 4% in 1996. These election news seekers are a particularly active group, using the […]
Despite the dramatic growth of the Internet in recent years and the proliferation of all-news cable television outlets, network news magazine shows and other information sources, the public is not feeling overloaded with information these days. Fully 62% of Americans say they like having so much information to choose from, compared to only 28% who […]
The number of Americans who go online to get news has tripled in the last three years. In 1995, just 4% of Americans went online for news at least once a week. Now, anywhere from 15% to 26% go online for news on a weekly basis, according to recent Pew Research Center surveys. This range […]