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Michael Lipka

Associate Director, Research

Expertise:News and Information

Michael Lipka is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center, where he studies Americans’ experiences with news and information. Over more than a decade at the Center, he has been a part of several major projects related to the information environment, including our study of news influencers, our five-year lookback at the COVID-19 pandemic, and our surveys on how Americans consume local news and election news. Michael also spent several years writing about trends in religion in the U.S. and globally, contributing to dozens of reports and short reads on various topics. He has a degree in journalism from Boston University and started his career as a sportswriter for The Boston Globe and the Associated Press.

Publications

short readsJan 8, 2015

Pope Francis is reshaping the geography of the College of Cardinals

In naming his second group of cardinals, Pope Francis has continued to shift the balance of Roman Catholic Church’s leadership away from the continent it has long called home.
short readsDec 8, 2014

Many U.S. congregations are still racially segregated, but things are changing

While the degree of racial segregation within religious congregations remains high, some houses of worship in the U.S. have become more diverse in recent years, according to a National Congregations study.
short readsNov 13, 2014

7 key takeaways about religion in Latin America

A new Pew Research Center survey of 18 Latin American countries and Puerto Rico asked people about their religious affiliation, beliefs and practices.
short readsNov 6, 2014

The number of U.S. Catholics has grown, so why are there fewer parishes?

A recent decision by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York to effectively close dozens of churches in the coming months falls in line with a larger nationwide trend of Catholic parish closures.
short readsOct 22, 2014

Diwali, Hindu festival of lights, is celebrated by more than just Hindus

This week marks Diwali, the annual Hindu festival of lights. In the U.S., seven-in-ten Indian Americans say they celebrate the holiday.
short readsOct 22, 2014

Americans of all ages divided over doctor-assisted suicide laws

Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman with terminal brain cancer, has gone public with her plans to take her own life. Most Americans say there are circumstances in which a patient should be allowed to die, but the public is split on laws about doctor-assisted suicide.
short readsOct 16, 2014

Young U.S. Catholics overwhelmingly accepting of homosexuality

The Roman Catholic Church signaled a more accepting stance toward gay people in a report bishops released during the Vatican’s synod on the family this week, a position already embraced by a majority of American Catholics, particularly younger adults.
short readsOct 15, 2014

Gay marriage arrives in the South, where the public is less enthused

Nationwide, 52% of Americans support gay marriage. In the South, 44% of people support gay marriage – well below the East (61%), West (58%) and Midwest (52%).
short readsOct 7, 2014

Blacks are lukewarm to gay marriage, but most say businesses must provide wedding services to gay couples

African Americans remain less likely than white Americans to support same-sex marriage, as has been the case for several years. But at the same time, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that a majority of blacks – a significantly bigger share than among whites – say that wedding-related businesses, such as caterers or florists, […]
short readsOct 3, 2014

Vatican synod on family highlights discord between church teachings and U.S. Catholics’ views

A Vatican synod on the family comes at a time when most American Catholics say they disagree with their church’s teachings on issues such as birth control and divorce.