Local News Fact Sheet
Americans’ attention to local news has declined since 2016. Explore how people get local news today, shifting from TV and print to digital sources.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Read our research on:
Social Media & the News
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Social Media & the News
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Where do Americans turn first for information about breaking news?
When a breaking news event happens, 36% of U.S. adults say they typically turn first to their preferred news organization to get more information.
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Video: How do young adults get their news?
Young adults under 30 are getting more news on social media, shaping how information spreads and giving us a possible glimpse into the future of news.
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Young Adults and the Future of News
U.S. adults under 30 follow news less closely than any other age group. And they’re more likely to get (and trust) news from social media.
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News Influencers Fact Sheet
About one-in-five U.S. adults say they regularly get news from news influencers on social media, and this is especially common among younger adults.
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How Americans’ trust in information from news organizations and social media sites has changed over time
Overall, 56% of U.S. adults now say they have a lot of or some trust in the information they get from national news organizations – down 11 percentage points since March 2025.
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1 in 5 Americans now regularly get news on TikTok, up sharply from 2020
Among adults under 30, 43% say they regularly get news from TikTok, up from 9% in 2020.
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Social Media and News Fact Sheet
Many Americans use social media for news: About a fifth or more regularly get news on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
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Bluesky has caught on with many news influencers, but X remains popular
The share of news influencers in our sample with a Bluesky account roughly doubled in the four months after Election Day 2024, from 21% beforehand to 43% by March.
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What Is News?
As people are exposed to more information from more sources than ever before, how they define and feel about “news” has become less clear-cut.
