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Nearly Half of Americans Get News from the Web

posted on March 3, 2008


A new poll from We Media/Zogby Interactive suggests more and more Americans are snubbing traditional news outlets and are instead relying on the internet for their news.

Of the 1,979 people polled, Reuters reports:

  • Nearly 70% believe traditional journalism is out of touch.
  • 64% are dissatisfied with the quality of their local news.
  • Less than a third get their news from TV.
  • 11% get their news from radio.
  • Just 10% pick up news from a newspaper.
  • Meanwhile, nearly 50% said their primary source for news was the internet.

I’d love to see more data as to why we’re switching to the web for our news. Could it be:

  • We can get news faster on the web.
  • We can read news when we want and how we want.
  • News on the web tends to be in a different, more concise format.
  • News on the web–especially blogs–includes more opinion. Which makes us think more.
  • News on the web is less likely to be biased.
  • News on the web is more likely to be biased.
  • All of the above???

What do you think? Are you reading more news online, and if so, why?


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  • http://www.petertdavis.com Peter Davis

    You know who else is out of touch? The advertisers who still spend big bucks putting ads on the TV news, on the radio, and in the newspapers. Why the heck are they spending 90% of their ad budget on dead media when they could be rocking by putting that money into the web?

  • http://www.goodnightmoonfuton.com Futon-Matt

    Those are some impressive numbers.

  • http://1stmenshealth.com Mens Health

    It is amazing the number of people that get news from their computers rather than the T.V. today and the number will rise for sure.

  • http://www.greensborosports.com Don Moore

    Nearly half the people ONLINE get their news from ONLINE sources… Look at the poll parameters! A similar poll of television viewers revealed that local news is where they get their news.

    We need a poll of PEOPLE from all points of view. We might find that most people don’t watch or care about news.

  • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Andy Beal

    @Don – nice observation. Aren’t all studies biased like this? ;-)

  • http://horisly.blogspot.com/ horisly

    We can get news faster on the web.
    We can read news when we want and how we want.
    News on the web tends to be in a different, more concise format.
    News on the web–especially blogs–includes more opinion. Which makes us think more.

  • http://vtroom.wordpress.com teeni

    I hardly ever turn on the television anymore so I’m one of those that gets most of her news from the web.

  • http://www.greensborosports.com Don Moore

    I found my source (Lost Remote – http://www.lostremote.com/2008/02/28/study-on-local-tv-news-ads-websit es/

    As you can see the TV folks (Hearst-Argyle and Magid) pump up their numbers and spin it for TV.

  • http://www.capatrex.com Alex Isaacs

    Another point to consider is that most of corporate America sits at a desk, and logs their hours behind a desk in a cubicle. It’s not a constant 8 hours of work, so during the down times it’s easiest to browse the news, weather, or sports from the convenience of your desk. You can access several sources and different views instead of what the one guy wrote in the paper, or which ever channel did a better job covering the story.

  • http://www.weddingrings-jewelry.com Yasin Kisioglu

    I almost do never read newspaper as paper, always on internet. Is there any news website out there bringing out news from all over the world with translated news updated regularly.

  • http://www.jaankanellis.com Jaan Kanellis

    Well all want our news at different times. We can all wake up and get it from whenever we want and get it online when we want.

    We don’t want to have to wait for the morning paper detailing yesterdays news or have to sit in front of the tube at certain times of the day.

    Online is here and now. As long as the content is updated accordingly it will win over traditional media in the long run.

  • http://www.technogumption.com Tom Beaton

    There was an earthquake here in the UK last week. As soon as it happened i switched the TV on and nothing! 24 hour news channels had no breaking news on it, after 10 minutes I went and checked online and there was a breaking news ticker on the bbc news website, but nothing more. Just an announcement. On local forums and blogs there were already posts regarding the earthquake.

  • http://www.hotproductsplus.com Mike Montague

    The main difference is how fast news can be delivered over the net. You don’t have to wait around for the 5 o’clock news or wait for the morning paper to get what you need.

  • http://www.thevanblog.com Steven Bradley

    I get most of my news from the internet and have been for years. It’s much quicker, but I also spend so much time online it’s simply easier for me.

    I still watch news on tv and read the paper to get a somewhat more balanced view of things.

  • http://www.greatpriceshere.com Nicole

    I do keep up with the latest happenings online, but I still love my traditional dose of newspaper with breakfast every morning. I’m amongst the 10%

  • http://www.capatrex.com Alex Isaacs

    Yasin is right. It would be nice to have a source of world news that delivers it in a clear concise format, and only reports relative events that effect everyone. ie: How oil prices are hammering everyone, or how the weak US dollar effects the gloabal markets.

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