• by Wayne Friedman , September 26, 2012

Even in a growing digital age, TV is still the best medium for viewers when it comes to consuming news and information.

A Harris Poll says consumers prefer TV 50% of the time when it comes to the delivery of news. Online and digital media is at 36%, and print trails far behind with a 10% score.

The poll also gauges "interest," and found that 69% had a "moderate interest" in the news. Those more intense news fans -- news junkies -- made up 13% of the population. On the other end of the spectrum, those "not really interested in the news" represent 18%.

Men are twice as likely to be interested in news -- at 17% -- compared to females, at 9%. News consumption is still an older viewer habit for the most part. Thirty-one percent of echo-boomers -- those 18 to 35 years old -- express a "lack of interest." Gen Xers ages 36-47 come in at 23%; baby boomers ages 48-66 are at 10%, and more mature adults 67-plus come in at 6%.

Short-attention-span consumers are always of interest to some news providers/marketers. Fifty-four percent of Americans are likely to read an online or print article in full with a "catchy headline. Adding "interesting pictures" grabs people 44% of the time, while interesting data/research pulls in news consumers 43% of the time.

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