How Americans View Journalists in the Digital Age
Americans largely value journalists’ role in society but see their influence declining – and often differ over who fits the label.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
News Habits & Media
News Media Tracker
How the audiences of 30 major news sources differ in their levels of education
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Technology in the American Household
Summary of Findings As the internet was in its earliest stages as a mass communication medium, the Times Mirror Center for the People & the Press undertook a major study investigating the ways in which new and old technology were being integrated into peoples’ lives. The study is based on a survey of 3,667 adults […]
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Public Tunes Out Recent News
Report Summary The American public has not absorbed the basic facts of many major news stories of recent months. While most Americans know that Nelson Mandela was elected in South Africa, and that Richard Nixon was the President forced to resign over Watergate, a new nationwide survey by the Times Mirror Center found the public […]
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TV Trials Captivate Public
Report Summary Melodramatic court trials carried on television recently have enjoyed huge audiences in the United States, a new nationwide Times Mirror survey found. Fully 43% of the American public have watched at least four of five of the most sensational trials aired on TV within the past few years. The survey also suggests that […]
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Public Sympathetic to Inman Charges
Report Summary While very few Americans followed news of Bobby Ray Inman’s abrupt withdrawal as nominee for secretary of defense, many agree with the criticisms he made of the press in explaining his departure from public life.
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Jury Still Out on Clinton’s Success
Report Summary Most Americans say they still haven’t made up their minds about Bill Clinton. But the President’s personal image has been weakened by a belief that he can’t get things done and a feeling that he breaks his promises. Six months into office few Americans can cite a Clinton achievement without prompting, and the […]
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Clinton’s Press Judged as Less Fair than Bush’s and Reagan’s
REPORT SUMMARY Many Americans think the press is being unfair to Bill Clinton, and the public most often complains that the media has come to an earlier judgment about this President’s performance than it did about his predecessors. But the public does not blame the press for being too critical of Bill Clinton, nor for causing […]
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Waco and King Coverage Faulted
Report Summary In expressing significant doubts about press performance on the two most closely followed news events of the past month, at least two out of five Americans felt the press was too critical of the Clinton Administration and the FBI for their handling of the Waco, Texas cult tragedy. And one in three complained […]
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TV Violence: More Objectionable In Entertainment Than in Newscasts
REPORT SUMMARY Many more Americans express concern about the amount of violence on entertainment television programs than about the increasingly violent content of broadcast news. TV news, while seen as containing more graphic violence than in the past, is also seen as reflecting the reality of a violent society. Further, a large sector of the […]
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NBC’s Believability Burned
Report Summary The believability of NBC News has been diminished in the eyes of the public after it admitted that it staged the explosion of a General Motors truck during a segment of the newsmagazine program “Dateline NBC.”
Signature Reports
Most Americans Say They Are Tuned In to News About the Trump Administration
Far fewer are hearing about the administration’s relationship with the media than was the case early in President Donald Trump’s first term.
America’s News Influencers
This study explores the makeup of the social media news influencer universe, including who they are, what content they create and who their audiences are.
How Americans Get News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram
X is still more of a news destination than these other platforms, but the vast majority of users on all four see news-related content.
Americans’ Changing Relationship With Local News
More Americans now prefer to get local news online, while fewer turn to TV or print. And most say local news outlets are important to their community.
