Hyperkinectic and Participatory: How We Get Our News

Pew's latest survey of news consumption is out, and if there's been any illusion about the pace of the shift to the Web, it ought to end: 63% of Americans say that online news sources are regular providers of information of them. Forty-six percent Americans get their news from at least four sources. More than a third of Americans have participated in the newsgathering stream in some way, either by contributing comments or iReports.

The Web is now the number two for news, just behind local and national television -- and ahead of newspapers and radio. We often forget that local TV news is the mainstay of information: nearly 80% of Americans say that local TV is one of their sources for news, compared to just 17% who say that a national newspaper provides it to them. (There is certainly overlap between the newspapers and their online audiences.)

Echo? 73% of Americans get their news from national networks or cable, but there is little overlap; we stick to one channel. And online, we don't check more than a handful of news sources.

The Rush Factor: 54% of Americans listen to some form of news via radio -- which is why franchises like CBS Radio News and Fox News Radio remain so influential.

Is It Raining? A plurality of Americans use their mobile phones for weather. Then comes national news, then sports.

Good And Biased: 63% of Americans say that news organizations do a good job of providing the news; seven in 10 say we are biased in doing so.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/03/hyperkinectic-and-participatory-how-we-get-our-news/36801/