News Platform Fact Sheet, 2024 - Pew Research Center

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In a fragmented media environment with seemingly endless sources of information to choose from, Americans’ news habits have changed dramatically in the 21st century. Today, an overwhelming majority of Americans get news at least sometimes from digital devices. This fact sheet looks at the platforms Americans turn to for news, including patterns and trends.
A large majority of U.S. adults (86%) say they at least sometimes get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet, including 57% who say they do so often. These figures are almost identical to the share who got news from digital devices in 2023.
Digital devices are by far the most common way Americans get news, although a majority (63%) get news from television at least sometimes. The portion of Americans who often get news from TV has stayed fairly steady over the last few years, now standing at 33%.
Americans turn to radio and print publications for news far less frequently. In 2024, just 26% of U.S. adults say they often or sometimes get news in print, the lowest number our surveys have recorded.
When asked which of these platforms they prefer to get news on, 58% of Americans say they prefer a digital device, far higher than the share who prefer TV (32%). Relatively few Americans prefer radio (6%) or print (4%).
News platform preferences
% of U.S. adults who prefer ____ for getting news
Note: “Digital devices” include smartphones, computers and tablets.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
There are several different pathways Americans use to get news on their digital devices. News websites or apps and search engines are the most common: About two-thirds of U.S. adults at least sometimes get news in each of these ways. A little more than half (54%) at least sometimes get news from social media, and 27% say the same about podcasts.
News websites or apps are also the most preferred source for news. About a quarter of U.S. adults (23%) say they prefer to get their news this way, compared with 18% who prefer social media, 12% who prefer search and 5% who prefer podcasts. The share of Americans who prefer social media has increased by 6 percentage points since 2023.
Read more about how Americans get news on social media.
Digital news platform preferences
% of U.S. adults who prefer ___ for getting news
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15-Aug. 4, 2024.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
News consumption across platforms varies by age, gender, race, ethnicity, educational attainment and political leaning. For example, Americans ages 50 and older are more likely than younger adults to turn to television and print publications for news – and less likely to use digital sources like social media or podcasts.
% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who get news at least sometimes from …
% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who get news at least sometimes from …
% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who prefer ___ for getting news
% of U.S. adults in each demographic group who prefer ___ for getting news
This fact sheet was compiled by Research Assistant Christopher St. Aubin and Research Analyst Jacob Liedke.
Read the methodology and the topline.
Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This is the latest analysis in Pew Research Center’s ongoing investigation of the state of news, information and journalism in the digital age, a research program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
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CORRECTION (Oct. 16, 2024): The topline for this survey previously included incorrect figures (refer to topline for details). These have been updated in the topline and do not affect the overall findings in this analysis. Nothing on this page has been changed.
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