A study released last month by Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that the Internet is closing in on television as the main avenue for most Americans to get their news.
According to Pew, 41% of adults say they get most of their news about national and international news from the Internet, this up 17 points from 2007. 66% say that television is still their main source of national and international news but that is down from 74% three years ago and 82% in 2002.
This study also compared generational differences among news consumers and found that the Internet is the primary source of news for people younger than 30. Although not surprising, this is the first time that Internet has topped television news in any Pew study. In fact, since 2007, the number of 18 to 29 year olds citing the Internet as their main source for news has nearly doubled, from 34% to 65%.
This study, as well as so many other recent surveys, continues to drive home the fact that the ways Americans get their news has changed dramatically over the last decade. And, although this may be seen as the beginning of the end to print newspapers and television news, this isn’t a bad thing for the future of our country.
The various opportunities and platforms that Americans have to obtain news can improve democracy by ensuring a better-informed and aware public. If a working mother doesn’t have 30 minutes a day to read her local paper or watch the nightly news but she has a Blackberry, Droid, iPhone or iPad that feeds her selected stories ranging from PTA bulletins to Supreme Court nominations in between carpool, meetings and soccer practice, she will be better informed. The Internet allows her and millions of others the chance to keep abreast of the news that affects them while living their hectic lives.
In addition, we as a country simply cannot afford to rely on traditional media such as newspapers, local TV stations and radio to get all of our information. Local television news ratings continue to suffer historic declines and radio abandoned original news creation a decade ago. That leaves communities without coverage. Forced to live without vigorous local and state coverage, citizens must find other ways to get news or they are left in the dark. They also need to hear all sides of public debates in order to make informed decisions on who to vote for and what issues to support.
That’s where technology really becomes a game-changer. Now all citizens can gather news from their backyard on their computer without relying on the legacy media. In addition, average citizens also have the opportunity to become journalists themselves by reporting, writing and recording news on their own.
The Internet has truly revolutionized how we consume and produce news. And as more youth and adults begin utilizing the Internet for news gathering, the statistics of television news viewers will continue to decrease. Pew’s study isn’t novel in its findings but clearly show that the future of news is online.
Jason Stverak is the President of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a leading journalism non-profit organization. The Franklin Center has two national news websites. To check out the investigative news site please visit Watchdog.org. To get the latest state capitol news please visit StateHouseNewsOnline.com. If you are a reporter or a citizen journalist and are interested in getting involved in non-profit journalism, please e-mail [email protected].
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