Amy Mitchell

Roughly nine-in-ten Democrats say news media criticism keeps leaders in line (sometimes called the news media’s “watchdog role”), while only about four-in-ten Republicans say the same.

Many Americans turned to Google to learn about the Flint water crisis. An analysis of aggregated searches over time illustrates how, in today's digital environment, public interest shifts as a story unfolds.

This project – using the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, as a case study model – examines the question of how media coverage of a current issue in the news relates to public interest in the issue and its relevance to their own lives.

Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say the relationship between the two is unhealthy.

A unique study of Americans’ online news habits over the course of a week provides a detailed window into how Americans learn about current events in the digital age.

Trump voters named one source more than any other as their main source of election news, whereas Clinton voters were spread across an array of sources.

About two-in-three U.S. adults say fake news stories cause a great deal of confusion about the basic facts of current issues. And nearly a quarter say they have ever shared completely made-up news.

Americans who are highly attached to their communities and who always vote in local elections stand out for displaying stronger local news habits than those less engaged.

When asked whether one prefers to read, watch or listen to their news, younger adults are far more likely than older adults to opt for text – and most of that reading is occurring on the web.

Digital innovation has had a major impact on the public's news habits. How have these changes shaped Americans’ appetite for and attitudes toward the news?