Social media has surpassed newspapers as a top news source in the US, with 20% of Americans getting their news from social media compared to 16% from print sources. Broadcast television remains the most popular platform, with 49% of Americans tuning in regularly. News websites are the choice of 33% of Americans. Age is a major factor in preferred news sources, with younger individuals more likely to use social media and older individuals preferring television and print. Locally produced programming is the most appreciated newscast source.
For generations, newspapers have been the dominant and reliable sources of current affairs for the American public. The immediacy of online information, however, has been eroding the popularity of newspapers for years. In 2018, social media sites finally overtook newspapers in the list of top news sources. According to data from the Pew Research Center, 20% of Americans say they often get their news via social media, eclipsing print sources — now just 16% — for the first time. Overall, however, broadcast television is still the most popular news platform, with about 49% of Americans tuning in regularly, though that’s down from 57% in 2016.
News that Americans use:
News websites, including sites produced by companies that also print newspapers, are the news platform of choice for 33% of Americans, up from 28% in 2016.
Age is a major factor in determining your preferred news sources. Individuals aged 18 to 29 are four times more likely to receive news from social media than those aged 65 and older, who tend to prefer television and the press.
Among the newscasts, the most appreciated source is locally produced programming, followed by the newscasts and, finally, by the evening newscasts of the national networks.
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