While TV is First For News, Newspapers Are Close Second The results of a nationwide poll in January, by Harris Interactive, show that seven in 10 u.s. adults watch broadcast news at
least several times a week and two in five adults say they listen to satellite radio programming or read a national newspaper as often.
While broadcast television news appears to be the
most popular medium sought, continues the report, 64% of adults also get their news several times a week or daily by going online to get news, 63% reading a local daily newspaper, 54% listening to
radio news broadcasts, 37% listening to talk radio stations, 19% listening to satellite news programming, and 18% reading a national newspaper.
Those 59 years of age and older are most
likely to rely on more traditional media outlets for information, with at least eight in 10 saying they watch local broadcast news (88%), watch network broadcast or cable news (88%), or read a local
daily newspaper (80%) several times a week or daily.
Those 40 to 58 years of age use the most varied types of media, with at least one in five using each medium examined several times a
week or daily. 68% of those 40 to 58 years of age and 70% 28 to 39 are most likely to go online for news.
Echo boomers (those 18 to 27 years of age) are the least frequent users of
media, with only about half or less getting information several times a week or daily from each of the media types measured.
Frequency of Media Use as a Percent of U.S. Adult Respondents |
| Daily | Several times a week | Several times a month | Several times a year | Never |
Watch local TV broadcast news | 54% | 22% | 10% |
7% | 6% |
Watch network
broadcast or cable news | |
49 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 8 |
Read a local daily newspaper | 41 | 22 | 16 | 12 | 9
|
Go online to get news | 40
| 24 | 15 | 11 | 11 |
Listen to radio news broadcasts | 32 | 21 | 13 | 13 | 20 |
Listen to talk radio stations | 22 | 15 | 12 |
17 | 34 |
Read a national newspaper
| 10 | 8 | 14 | 27 | 41 |
Listen to satellite radio
programming | |
12 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 68
|
Source: The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive, January 2006 |
Frequency of Media Use By Age as a Percent of U.S. Adult
Respondents |
| Echo Boomers (age
18-27) | Gen X(age 28-39) | Baby Boomers (age 40-58) | Matures (age 59+) |
Watch local TV broadcast news | 52% | 69% | 83% | 88% |
Watch network broadcast or cable news | |
51 | 57 | 74 | 88 |
Read a local daily newspaper | 43 | 49 | 66 | 80 |
Go online to get news | 53 | 68 | 70 | 57 |
Listen to radio news broadcasts | 26
| 49 | 64 | 58
|
Listen to talk radio stations | 24 | 35 | 40 | 41 |
Read a national newspaper | 15 | 23 | 19 | 17 |
Listen to satellite radio programming | |
21 | 23 | 19 | 16 |
Source: The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive, January 2006 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
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