[Americana:] Americans prefer to watch news, on TV and online, rather than read it, study finds

Mike Snider, USA TODAY Published 10:00 a.m. ET Dec. 3, 2018 | Updated 10:18 a.m. ET Dec. 3, 2018

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Despite the rise of online and mobile news delivery, TV remains the way a majority of Americans prefer to watch their news.

Nearly half of the nation (47 percent) prefers to watch the news rather than read or listen to it, finds a new survey, out Monday from the Pew Research Center. That's up slightly from 46 percent two years ago.

Also relatively unchanged since then is the one-third (34 percent) who prefer to read the news and 19 percent who prefer to listen to the news, says Pew, which surveyed 3,425 U.S. adults between July 30, 2018 and Aug. 12, 2018.

Among the half of all U.S. adults who prefer to watch their news, the majority (75 percent) prefer watching on TV, while 20 percent prefer the web.

Nearly half of the nation (47 percent) prefers to watch the news rather than read or listen to it, finds a new survey, out Monday from the Pew Research Center. One-third (34 percent) prefer to read the news and 19 percent prefer to listen to the news, Pew says. (Photo: Pew Research Center)

"Americans continue to prefer watching the news rather than reading or listening to it, and their viewing loyalties have yet to migrate fully to the web," co-authors Amy Mitchell and Hannah Klein wrote in the report.

For those who prefer to read their news, the web is the dominant platform, preferred by 63 percent, while 17 percent prefer print. Most news listeners (52 percent) opt for radio, while 21 percent listen to TV news and 20 percent listen online.

When asked about their preferred platform to get the news, 44 percent chose TV, down from 46 percent two years ago. One-third (34 percent) preferred the web, apps or social media, up from 28 percent. Radio got 14 percent, up from 12 percent. Print got 7 percent, down from 11 percent. 

"Despite many recent online news video initiatives and the fact that nearly all adults get at least some news digitally, people who prefer to watch their news still also prefer television as their main platform for news," the authors wrote.

As expected, the younger you are, the more likely you are to prefer to watch, read or listen to your news online. Three-fourth (76 percent) of those ages 18 to 49 who prefer to read the news also preferred the web, compared with 43 percent of those 50 and older. Younger watchers and listeners were three times more likely to get their news online as those 50 and older.