Technology has changed how people consume news, as well as the process of gathering it.  Information is now almost instantaneous and available anywhere in the world.  And news has been democratized so that voices outside the mainstream can be heard.

This is healthy for democracy but is an earthquake for the business of journalism.  Newspaper circulation is dropping, newsroom staffs are shrinking, and ad revenue is declining.  Pew tracks these changes through its annual state of the news media reports, providing fact-based analysis of the growth of digital news sites, the purchase of major journalism institutions by entrepreneurs, the use of mobile devices to access news, the mixing of news and marketing through sponsor-generated content, and other trends in journalism.

Recent Work

July 25, 2018 Hispanic and African American News Media Fact Sheet News media made by and for the two largest racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States – blacks and Hispanics – have been a consistent part of the American news landscape.
July 25, 2018 Network News Fact Sheet Network TV news – appointment viewing for many Americans – saw its audience decline over the past year.
July 25, 2018 Cable News Fact Sheet Cable TV is home to a set of television channels whose news broadcasts have become an important information source for many Americans.
July 12, 2018 Audio and Podcasting Fact Sheet The audio news sector in the U.S. is split by modes of delivery: traditional terrestrial (AM/FM) radio and digital formats such as online radio and podcasting.
July 12, 2018 Local TV News Fact Sheet Local television news programming has shed audience over the past decade, but it still garners more viewers on average than cable and network news programs.
June 18, 2018 Distinguishing Between Factual and Opinion Statements in the News The politically aware, digitally savvy and those more trusting of the news media fare better in differentiating factual statements from opinions.
June 13, 2018 Newspapers Fact Sheet Newspapers are a critical part of the American news landscape, but they have been hit hard as more and more Americans consume news digitally.
June 6, 2018 Public Broadcasting Fact Sheet Hundreds of local and regional radio and television stations comprise the U.S. public media system.