Social media is catching up with TV as the most-used source of news among Americans, according to a new study that sheds light on generational similarities and differences when it comes to Americans’ news diets.
The Media Insight Project’s report“The Evolving News Landscape: Comparing Media Habits and Trust Between Teens and Adults,” talked to respondents as young as 13 to collect insight not only on their news sources but also their news consumption in relation to the subjects they search for.
While TV and streaming prevail as the most popular news providers with nearly half of Americans reporting daily use, social media is not far behind at 37% – largely driven by teens 13-17.
A collaboration between The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the American Press Institute and the journalism schools at Northwestern University and the University of Maryland, the study was conducted in February based on nationwide surveys of 2,101 Americans 13 and older.
Where Do Americans Get Their News?
Most Americans just 20 years ago likely never would have imagined getting their news from commentators unaffiliated with a network or a newspaper. But today, “influencers” and “independent creators” who post about news on any number of widely viewed social media platforms are a source of information for more than half of Americans 13 and older (57%) at least sometimes. Among teenagers 13-17, that share rises to 81%.
When it comes to getting news from social media in general, 37% of all respondents said they do at least once a day.
Still, television news is hardly extinct: 46% of those surveyed reported getting their news from TV or streaming services at least once a day. While the majority of those watching TV news are 50 and over, almost twice as many 13- to 17-year-olds (44%) get daily news from TV than 18- to 34-year-olds (25%).
Second to TV and streaming news are digital news sites and apps, with 41% daily use among surveyed Americans. About one quarter of respondents reported using search engines, listening to radio news or reading digital newsletters at least once a day.
Despite the precarious state of local news and its funding, 76% of Americans 13 and older say they get information from local news sources often or sometimes. And local news outlets rank highest for trust across age groups, including for verifying facts, covering important issues and providing useful information.
As artificial intelligence seeps into the media landscape, Americans are still largely skeptical of using AI chatbots for news. Two-thirds of those surveyed reported not using AI at all for news and only about 1 in 10 believe AI chatbots are more trustworthy than other sources.
The study also suggests that teens aren’t just using their parents’ Netflix accounts – 66% use news services that someone else pays for. Almost 7 in 10 American teens and adults use some kind of paid news product or service – 56% who pay themselves and 23% who use another person’s subscription. Older Americans were found more likely to pay for news services.
National politics and government is the most popular news topic, with half of surveyed Americans saying they regularly follow news in that category. But that share is higher among older adults (65% of those 65 and over) and lower among younger adults and teens (35% of those 13-17).
State and local politics, information on traffic and the weather and crime and public safety follow as the most popular news topics.
Trust and Misinformation
Trust in the news remains low overall, with less than half of teens and adults expressing a great deal of confidence in any source type.
Those who get news from influencers and independent creators say that transparency – especially around sponsored content and the mission of the account – matters more to them than how many followers a creator has (50% compared with 10%).
Most surveyed Americans say the news they see from social media influencers and independent creators is equally balanced in terms of opinions and perspectives.
The survey results suggest an awareness of the potential negative effects of high news consumption, with just 10% of surveyed Americans saying news gives them a hopeful view of the world. Many say they actively avoid certain news, such as political and celebrity news.
About two-thirds of Democrats and half of Republicans reported avoiding news about President Donald Trump at least sometimes.
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Who or what is at fault for the untrustworthiness of news these days?
According to the surveyed Americans, politicians (66%), social media companies (55%) and social media users (54%) are the main drivers of misinformation; although, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to point to these groups.
Half of all teens and adults blame AI companies and users for the spread of misinformation.
“Together, these findings suggest that journalism’s influence is no longer defined solely by legacy institutions, but by a comparative, choice-driven environment in which audiences weigh multiple sources against one another,” the report’s authors said in a press release.