In a fragmented media setting with seemingly limitless sources of knowledge to select from, People’ information habits have modified dramatically within the twenty first century. At present, an awesome majority of People get information not less than generally from digital units. This reality sheet appears to be like on the platforms People flip to for information, together with patterns and traits.
Information consumption throughout platforms
A big majority of U.S. adults (86%) say they not less than generally get information from a smartphone, pc or pill, together with 57% who say they achieve this typically. These figures are nearly similar to the share who bought information from digital units in 2023.
Digital units are by far the commonest approach People get information, though a majority (63%) get information from tv not less than generally. The portion of People who typically get information from TV has stayed pretty regular over the previous couple of years, now standing at 33%.
People flip to radio and print publications for information far much less regularly. In 2024, simply 26% of U.S. adults say they typically or generally get information in print, the bottom quantity our surveys have recorded.
When requested which of those platforms they desire to get information on, 58% of People say they like a digital system, far increased than the share preferring TV (32%). Comparatively few People desire radio (6%) or print (4%).
Information platform preferences
% of U.S. adults who desire ____ for getting information
| 12 months | Digital units | Tv | Radio | Print publications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58% | 32% | 6% | 4% |
| 2023 | 58 | 27 | 6 | 5 |
| 2022 | 53 | 33 | 7 | 5 |
| 2021 | 50 | 36 | 7 | 5 |
| 2020 | 52 | 35 | 7 | 5 |
Be aware: “Digital units” embody smartphones, computer systems and tablets.
Supply: Survey of U.S. adults carried out July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
Information throughout digital platforms
There are a number of completely different pathways People use to get information on their digital units. Information web sites or apps and search engines like google are the commonest: About two-thirds of U.S. adults not less than generally get information in every of those methods. A little bit greater than half (54%) not less than generally get information from social media, and 27% say the identical about podcasts.
Information web sites or apps are additionally probably the most most popular supply for information. A few quarter of U.S. adults (23%) say they like to get their information this fashion, in contrast with 18% preferring social media, 12% preferring search and 5% preferring podcasts. The share of People preferring social media has elevated by 6 share factors since 2023.
Learn extra about how People get information on social media.
Digital information platform preferences
% of U.S. adults who desire ___ for getting information
| 12 months | Search | Information web sites | Social media | Podcasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12% | 23% | 18% | 5% |
| 2023 | 15 | 25 | 12 | 6 |
| 2022 | 12 | 23 | 13 | 4 |
| 2021 | 11 | 24 | 10 | 4 |
| 2020 | 12 | 26 | 11 | 3 |
Supply: Survey of U.S. adults carried out July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
Who makes use of every information platform?
Information consumption throughout platforms varies by age, gender, race, ethnicity, instructional attainment and political leaning. For instance, People ages 50 and older are extra possible than youthful adults to show to tv and print publications for information – and fewer possible to make use of digital sources like social media or podcasts.
% of U.S. adults in every demographic group who get information not less than generally from …
| Tv | Radio | Print publications |
Digital units | |
| Whole | 63% | 42% | 26% | 86% |
| Males | 61 | 42 | 25 | 86 |
| Ladies | 66 | 42 | 27 | 85 |
| Ages 18-29 | 46 | 27 | 18 | 91 |
| 30-49 | 51 | 43 | 19 | 91 |
| 50-64 | 72 | 51 | 26 | 87 |
| 65+ | 86 | 43 | 43 | 70 |
| White | 65 | 44 | 28 | 86 |
| Black | 75 | 43 | 26 | 83 |
| Hispanic | 60 | 38 | 21 | 85 |
| Asian* | 47 | 25 | 18 | 91 |
| Highschool or much less | 69 | 42 | 26 | 77 |
| Some school | 63 | 42 | 24 | 89 |
| School+ | 57 | 42 | 28 | 92 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | 65 | 46 | 24 | 86 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | 63 | 39 | 29 | 87 |
Be aware: White, Black and Asian adults embody those that report being just one race and aren’t Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Supply: Survey of U.S. adults carried out July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
% of U.S. adults in every demographic group who get information not less than generally from …
| Information web sites or apps |
Social media | Search | Podcasts | |
| Whole | 66% | 54% | 66% | 27% |
| Males | 68 | 49 | 65 | 30 |
| Ladies | 64 | 59 | 66 | 24 |
| Ages 18-29 | 62 | 78 | 74 | 34 |
| 30-49 | 70 | 64 | 70 | 34 |
| 50-64 | 71 | 45 | 65 | 23 |
| 65+ | 56 | 28 | 53 | 14 |
| White | 66 | 49 | 64 | 25 |
| Black | 64 | 58 | 70 | 29 |
| Hispanic | 64 | 67 | 65 | 31 |
| Asian* | 69 | 65 | 73 | 30 |
| Highschool or much less | 55 | 54 | 60 | 22 |
| Some school | 66 | 57 | 68 | 27 |
| School+ | 76 | 52 | 69 | 32 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | 64 | 55 | 65 | 28 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | 70 | 55 | 68 | 27 |
Be aware: White, Black and Asian adults embody those that report being just one race and aren’t Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Supply: Survey of U.S. adults carried out July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
% of U.S. adults in every demographic group who desire ___ for getting information
| Tv | Radio | Print publications |
Digital units | |
| Whole | 32% | 6% | 4% | 58% |
| Males | 29 | 6 | 4 | 60 |
| Ladies | 34 | 5 | 4 | 56 |
| Ages 18-29 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 86 |
| 30-49 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 72 |
| 50-64 | 42 | 8 | 3 | 46 |
| 65+ | 60 | 5 | 8 | 27 |
| White | 33 | 7 | 5 | 55 |
| Black | 43 | 3 | 3 | 50 |
| Hispanic | 27 | 3 | 3 | 66 |
| Asian* | 14 | 3 | 2 | 79 |
| Highschool or much less | 41 | 5 | 4 | 49 |
| Some school | 32 | 5 | 3 | 59 |
| School+ | 21 | 6 | 5 | 67 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | 32 | 7 | 3 | 57 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | 30 | 5 | 5 | 59 |
Be aware: White, Black and Asian adults embody those that report being just one race and aren’t Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Supply: Survey of U.S. adults carried out July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
% of U.S. adults in every demographic group who desire ___ for getting information
| Information web sites or apps |
Social media | Search | Podcasts | |
| Whole | 23% | 18% | 12% | 5% |
| Males | 25 | 17 | 12 | 6 |
| Ladies | 20 | 19 | 13 | 3 |
| Ages 18-29 | 19 | 43 | 17 | 6 |
| 30-49 | 27 | 22 | 16 | 7 |
| 50-64 | 26 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
| 65+ | 17 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| White | 25 | 14 | 11 | 5 |
| Black | 15 | 20 | 12 | 3 |
| Hispanic | 18 | 31 | 13 | 4 |
| Asian* | 30 | 27 | 16 | 6 |
| Highschool or much less | 13 | 19 | 12 | 4 |
| Some school | 21 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
| School + | 34 | 16 | 11 | 6 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | 21 | 18 | 13 | 6 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | 26 | 18 | 11 | 4 |
Be aware: White, Black and Asian adults embody those that report being just one race and aren’t Hispanic; Hispanic adults are of any race.
Supply: Survey of U.S. adults carried out July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
Discover out extra
This reality sheet was compiled by Analysis Assistant Christopher St. Aubin and Analysis Analyst Jacob Liedke.
Learn the methodology and the topline.
Pew Analysis Middle is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its major funder. That is the most recent evaluation in Pew Analysis Middle’s ongoing investigation of the state of stories, info and journalism within the digital age, a analysis program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with beneficiant assist from the John S. and James L. Knight Basis.
Comply with these hyperlinks for extra in-depth evaluation of stories consumption:
- Social Media and Information Truth Sheet (Sept. 17, 2024)
- How People Get Native Political Information (July 24, 2024)
- Greater than half of People are following election information carefully, and plenty of are already worn out (Might 28, 2024)
- People’ Altering Relationship With Native Information (Might 7, 2024)
- How Hispanic People Get Their Information (March 19, 2024)
- People are following the information much less carefully than they used to (Oct. 24, 2023)
- Black People’ Experiences With Information (Sept. 26, 2023)
- For Nationwide Radio Day, key details about radio listeners and the radio business within the U.S. (Aug. 17, 2023)
- Podcasts as a Supply of Information and Info (April 18, 2023)
- The Function of Different Social Media within the Information and Info Surroundings (Oct. 6, 2022)
Learn all our studies and weblog posts associated to information platforms and sources.
