(Community Matters) In a 2010 Pew survey: roughly a third of Americans get their news online, another third from radio and slightly less from daily newspapers. Online jumps to 44% when cell phones, email, social networks and podcasts are added in. Radio and tv have declined precipitously since 1991 (when they accounted for 54% and 56%, respectively). Three quarters of Americans followed the news. Rather than replacing sources, Americans have integrated. More than half of those in their 30s rely on digital platforms for their news.
For some news audiences, such as regular NPR listeners, no single reason [ *]stands out as to why people watch, read or listen: 28% of regular NPR listeners cite several, or all, of the reasons listed, while nearly as many say they listen for the latest news (21%) or for in-depth reporting (20%).
* latest headlines, in-depth news, views & opinions, entertainment, mixed and all
When it comes to radio, Democrats (14%) and independents (14%) are more likely than Republicans (6%) to say they regularly listen to NPR. Nearly a quarter of liberal Democrats (23%) regularly get news from NPR, compared with 10% of conservative and moderate Democrats, 8% of moderate and liberal Republicans and 6% of conservative Republicans. [ the big news here is that 6% of Rs regularly listen to NPR – as opposed to only 14% of Ds and 14% of Independents – thus, Rs are a big demographic of NPR listeners]
Sources: Pew Research Center
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