Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

News Habits & Media

fact sheet
Pew Research Center photo illustration.

Local News Fact Sheet

The landscape of local news in the U.S. has changed significantly in recent decades as Americans have been turning away from print and television and toward digital media. In 2025, 21% of Americans say they follow local news very closely, down from 37% in 2016.

Icon for promotion number 1

Sign up for The Briefing

Weekly updates on the world of news & information

Thank you for subscribing!

Processing…

  • report

    Most Say U.S. Should ‘Not Get Too Involved’ in Ukraine Situation

    Survey Report As Russian troops remain in Ukraine’s Crimea region and Crimea’s Parliament has set up a secession vote, Americans prefer the U.S. to not get too involved in the situation. By a roughly two-to-one margin (56% vs. 29%), the public says it is more important for the U.S. to not get involved in the […]

  • report

    Media Coverage of Pope Francis’ First Year

    One year into Francis’ papacy, an analysis by the Pew Research Center finds that the former Jesuit archbishop – who was named Time’s Person of the Year – ranked among the top global newsmakers in major U.S.-based digital news outlets.

  • report

    Mixed Views of Economic News Persist

    Survey Report Over the past year, the unemployment rate has fallen, but so too has the share of Americans in the labor force. The stock market rose during much of 2013, before falling at the start of this year. Through it all, the public’s perceptions of economic news have changed very little. Currently, 61% say […]

REfine Your Selection

Date
Years
Formats
Regions & Countries
Research Teams
Authors

Signature Reports

report
Pew Research Center illustration for America's News Influencers report; photos via Getty Images

America’s News Influencers

This study explores the makeup of the social media news influencer universe, including who they are, what content they create and who their audiences are.

Features