TV Remains Number 1 News Source for Americans

More than half of American adults surveyed in a recent Gallup poll identified the television as their primary source for news. 21 percent of the respondents stated that they get their news primarily from the internet, while print media and the radio were named by 9 and 6 percent, respectively.

Looking at the differences in news consumption between age groups reveals a worrying trend for the print industry. The younger the respondents, the less likely they were to turn to print media as a source of news. While 18 percent of those aged 65 and older cited some print publication as their number 1 news source, only 7 percent of young adults did so. As mobile devices and social media have accelerated the distribution of news, print publications will probably have to focus on in-depth reporting and commentary to stay relevant in the future.

The importance of the internet as a news medium will probably increase even further in the future as many young Americans have already adopted the internet as their primary news source. The data suggests that the rise of the internet is primarily happening at the expense of print media and radio stations, while the TV will likely stay relevant as a news medium for the foreseeable future.