News Habits & Media

There are notable differences between white and black Democrats in news consumption habits and assessments of recent political events and figures in the news.

59% of Americans are following news about the 2020 candidates closely, but far fewer are following it very closely at this stage of the race.

There are differences among Democrats in perceptions of the front-runners’ political views by race and ethnicity, age, education and ideology.

In total, 20% of all Democrats get political news only from outlets with left-leaning audiences, while 18% of all Republicans do so only from outlets with right-leaning audiences.

People are widely dissatisfied with democracy in their country and believe that elected officials don’t care what people like them think.

Majorities say the democratic principles tested on our survey are at least somewhat important. But often, underwhelming percentages describe democratic rights and institutions as very important.

Nearly three out of four U.S. adults say that, in general, it’s important for journalists to function as watchdogs over elected officials.

66% of Americans feel worn out by the amount of news there is these days – a feeling that has persisted for several years now.

The shift has been most notable in jobs that prioritize analytical skills, such as science and math, or fundamental skills, such as writing.

About half the experts we canvassed predict humans' use of technology will weaken democracy by 2030, while a third expect technology will strengthen it as reformers fight back against democracy's foes.