Newspapers remain an important source of local information like community events, schools, and taxes, though people are increasingly getting news online and through social media. As technology changes how people experience news, audiences are fragmenting along partisan lines and discussing news within separate online communities. While people rely on different platforms for different types of news, they are also losing faith in traditional news organizations and perceive greater political bias over time.

1. News in a networked world
International Journalism Festival, Perugia
April 27, 2012
Lee Rainie: Director, Pew Internet Project
Email: Lrainie@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @Lrainie
PewInternet.org

3. 12 insights about news in
a networked world

4. 1 – Newspapers are critical to civic life
Most important source Tied with internet
• Community events • Housing
• Crime • Schools
• Tax info • Jobs
• Local govt Tied with TV
• Arts/culture • Political news
• Social services
• Zoning /
development

5. 2 – People’s experience of news is
being re-shaped by tech change
• Portable – half of cell owners get news
on phone – 2/3 of smartphone owners
• Participatory – 20%-40% of consumers
contribute to news
• Personal – half of consumers customize
• Social – “news as conversation”

6. 3 – The audience is shrinking a bit:
17% get no news on average day

7. 4 – People are reallocating their time
using news platforms/sources

8. 5 – People are shifting platforms

9. 6 – Users exploit multiple platforms (1)
News platforms Americans use on typical day
90
78
80 73
61
70
60 54 50
50
40
30
20
17
10
0
Local TV National Online Radio Local National
network/cable newspaper newspaper

10. 6 – Users exploit multiple platforms (2)
59% use online and offline sources on typical day
# of news platforms Americans use typical day
70%
60%
46% 46%
% of adults (18+)
50%
40%
30%
20%
7%
10%
0%
1 platform 2-3 platforms 4-6 platforms

11. 7 – People graze for news all day long

12. 8) Users’ perceptions of news media bias grow
Press is
politically
biased
45% - 1985
63%- 2011
Republicans
and
Independents
drive the trend
http://www.people-press.org/2011/09/22/press-widely-criticized-but-trusted-more-than-other-institutions/

13. 9 – Audiences are
more fragmented
by partisanship
and ideology

15. 9 -more) Red crowds and blue crowds discuss news –
segregated with different sources and conversations
Analysis of 2011 SOTU conversations on Twitter

16. 10 – People are losing its faith in news
organizations (with exceptions)

17. 11 – People’s
motives vary for
using different
news sources

19. 12 – People rely
on different
platforms for
news on different
subjects

22. Thank you!