More Americans prefer to watch the news than read or listen to it
The information environment has experienced major changes in recent years, from the rise of podcasts and news influencers on social media to declining audiences for traditional news outlets. But overall, there has been little shift in the way Americans prefer to get their news – whether by watching it, reading it or listening to it.
The most common way that Americans prefer to get their news is by watching it: 44% of U.S. adults say this, according to an August 2025 Pew Research Center survey. A smaller share (37%) prefers to get news by reading it, while 19% prefer listening to the news.
Related Knowledge Center: State of the business model
The traditional journalism business model has long since collapsed, and news organizations have shrunk or disappeared entirely. While a number of promising experiments are under way, the public has not shown a willingness to buy what news organizations are selling.
Related Knowledge Center: Inside the newsroom
As newsrooms struggle with rickety business models and precarious finances — as well as new technologies — they are deploying an array of editorial responses.
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