Pew Research News Platform Fact Sheet 2024: What it Says?

Americans’ news habits have changed dramatically in the 21st century, from social media platforms to digital media adaptation. Americans are moving toward a new yet fragmented media environment where endless sources of information are making it overwhelming for people to choose the reliable ones. According to the Pew Research News Platform Fact Sheet 2024 findings, 86% of adults in the United States receive the latest news from their smartphones, computers, or tablets, with 56% relying significantly on these devices to access updates on recent happenings.

Through this article, we will delve deeper into the statistics and facts about news consumption by the American population across various news sources.

News Consumption Across All Platforms by Americans

(Source: Pew Research Center)

Digital devices are one of the most popular and common ways through which Americans access news. Although around 64% of the population receives news updates from television sometimes, 32% prefer TV and trust its authenticity in terms of information. Americans rely less frequently on the radio and print publications for news. The News Platform Fact Sheet of 2024 reveals that only 11% of U.S. adults often prefer radio for news updates, 33% television, 57% digital devices, and 6% rely on printed newspapers and magazines. The data differs slightly for the year 2025, in which the percentage remains the same for radio, but 32% have relied on television, and 56% on digital devices.

Digital Platforms: The New Era of News Consumption

People are increasingly choosing digital news over traditional media due to the immediacy, accessibility, and interactive nature of digital platforms. Unlike traditional media that operate on broadcast schedules and fixed production, digital platforms deliver real-time updates and breaking news alerts directly to users’ devices as events occur.   

In the 21st century, the way we consume news has changed dramatically, as most Americans now turn to digital platforms for immediate updates at their fingertips. American consumers spend around eight hours of their day with digital media, with news consumption mostly occurring online, and social media being the go-to option for many. 

Americans consume news through various digital platforms, from news websites to search engines. The Pew Research News Platform Fact Sheet of 2024 states that about one in five US adults receives news either through podcasts or through ChatGPT. Social media and email newsletters are two other major digital sources of news. The 2024 news factsheet findings reveal that 9% of the US adults often consumed news from podcasts, and in 2025, this percentage increased to 10%. 

It further reveals that only 2% people often rely on AI chatbots for recent news, whereas 6% rely on newsletters in 2025. In 2024, 25% and in 2025, 21% Americans often preferred social media to get news updates. Additionally, 29% and 27% of US adults often opt for news websites or applications to stay ahead.

Despite the immediacy and accessibility of information collected through digital news sources, concerns about the spread of misinformation and the potential for ‘filter bubbles” remain intact on digital platforms.

Americans’ Preference for Various News Platforms

While identifying Americans’ preferences for each news platform, we have found that 34% of the population prefer to get news on television, whereas only 5% prefer radio or print newspapers. However, when it comes to accessing news on digital platforms, about 21% of US adults agreed to rely on news websites or applications to get their news. 14% prefer social media, 10% prefer search engines, 6% prefer podcasts, and 3% rely on newsletters.

Factors Influencing Americans’ Preference for Each Platform

Factors like age, ethnicity, gender, race, and educational attainment influence the news consumption habits of Americans. The study has shown that Americans aged 50 and older are more likely to turn to television and print publications for recent news, and are less likely to use digital sources. Additionally, Americans with a college degree are likely to get news often from websites or apps, email newsletters, or podcasts. People with no college degree are likely to get the news from social media.

Social Media Platforms: A New Source of Immediate News

Social media has emerged as a new source of instant news, highly preferred by millennials and Gen Zs. We will now identify the most used social media platforms for news in 2024. 

(Source: Pew Research Center)

With a drastic change in Americans’ news diets, adults are going to social media platforms to access breaking news. 53% of US adults have at least sometimes received news from social media. In 2024, 25% of adults often accessed news through social media, and 21% in 2025.

Facebook and YouTube are two major social media platforms that have outpaced other social media sites. 38% of US adults rely on Facebook for daily news, and 35% on YouTube. 20% adults rely on Instagram and TikTok, or X.  On the other hand, 9% access to news on Reddit, 5% on WhatsApp, 6% on Nextdoor, and 2% on Bluesky.

Despite having a small size of audience, some social media sites stand out among the rest. 57% of X users rely on the platform, and only 15% of WhatsApp users regularly access news on the platform. 55% of TikTok users agreed that they regularly get news on the site. 

Factors Influencing News Consumption on Social Media

People accessing news across various social media platforms often differ by age, gender, and other factors. For instance, women are more likely to get news regularly from Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. While men are more likely to rely on YouTube, Reddit, and X. On the other hand, younger people are likely to consume news regularly from TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and X. The PEW Research on News and Social Media Fact Sheet of 2024 reveals that Asian, Hispanic, and Black Americans, compared to White Americans, are likely to get news from YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Additionally, those without a college degree get news from Facebook and TikTok. Democrats, compared to Republicans, are more likely to consume news from Reddit, TikTok, and Instagram.

Truth Social and Rumble News User: Exploring the New Era of Social Media News Consumption

According to Statista, Truth Social has a conservative user base, with 6.3 million active users being men, and a growing positive opinion among millennials. Conversely, Rumble has a diverse user age demographic, including the younger and older users, and a strong Republican political affiliation among its new users. Truth Social and Rumble news user demographics span two diverse age, ethnic, race, and gender groups.

When it comes to news consumption on social media, Truth Social, a social media site launched by President Donald Trump’s media and technology company, and Rumble both had around 2% of users regularly consuming news in 2024. However, in 2025, around 6% of users confirmed consumption of regular news on Rumble, whereas Truth Social’s consumption rate remained the same as the previous year.

Nearly half of Rumble’s users say they will turn to the platform for news in 2025, while Truth Social edges ahead with 57% of its users relying on it for regular news updates. These numbers highlight how both platforms are quickly becoming go-to sources for Americans seeking news between 2024 and 2025.

LinkedIn: A Social Media Platform Serving as a News Source for Many

LinkedIn’s purpose as a social media site extends beyond the boundaries of being a connective force between people. It is a valuable and widely used social media platform for professionals, students, and executives, seeking a common and shared platform to not only connect but also acquire knowledge on diverse topics, identify industry-specific insights, career trends, and professional perspectives. Although it is not considered a primary and authoritative news outlet due to its lack of formal peer review, its significance in shaping industries today cannot be denied.

Its carefully curated “LinkedIn News” section and personalized feed are designed particularly for industry professionals and students. Be it career-related news or industry-specific insight, it's user-generated, and editorial content from companies and professionals helps users stay informed and competitive in their respective fields.

LinkedIn As a News Source for Students

Over the past year, LinkedIn has arguably been the most challenging social media platform for student recruitment. In higher education, the new LinkedIn University Pages offer a hybrid of the most popular features of the old design and the existing company page. As a popular social network for career development, LinkedIn is a reliable source of information for college students seeking to navigate the professional landscape. These students can use this platform to establish a professional online presence.

LinkedIn as a news source for college-educated users may not be fully reliable due to its lack of authenticity, but it can help students stay updated on emerging topics and innovations in real-time. By following specific companies, industry leaders, and groups, college students can develop their knowledge and professional online presence to attract the attention of recruiters in their desired fields. For college-educated users, targeted content on LinkedIn creates a highly relevant news feed, allowing them to follow specific companies, leaders, and groups.

Despite the increased accessibility of various news sources in the United States, there has been a sharp decline in the number of US adults claiming to follow the news closely in recent years. Users who access news from social media also express concern about their inaccuracies, bias, and poor quality. However, social media and other digital media platforms are preferred by Americans for their speed, convenience, interactive capability, immediacy, and personalization features.

The Silicon Journal has been serving as a trusted source of digital news in the United States since its establishment. We are committed to delivering the most crucial news in real-time, along with industry topics reshaping the operations of companies and influencing the strategies of industry leaders.