Media Accuracy, Media Bias, and Media Trends

"Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We do not take policy positions."

"77% would choose their career all over again, though 57% are highly concerned about future restrictions on press freedom"

"In 23 of 27 Gallup surveys conducted since 1993, at least 60% of Americans have said there is more crime in the U.S. than there was the year before. But this perception is at odds with the data: Since 1993, the nation’s violent crime rate has plunged by nearly half, while the property crime rate has fallen even more steeply, according to the FBI. Put another way, Americans were about twice as likely to be the victim of a violent crime in 1993 as in 2022.

There are many possible reasons why Americans might believe crime is on the rise in the U.S., even when government statistics show the opposite. But a new Pew Research Center survey examines one potential factor shaping public perceptions: local news coverage about crime."

"The transition to digital news consumption has hit the newspaper industry hard in recent years. Some national publications have managed to weather the storm in part by attracting digital subscribers, but many local newspapers have been forced to shutter their doors permanently, especially during the coronavirus pandemic."

"A small but growing share of U.S. adults are regularly getting news on TikTok. In fact, since 2020, no social media platform we’ve studied has seen faster growth in the share of Americans who regularly turn to it for news, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis."

"In a fragmented media environment with seemingly endless sources of information to choose from, Americans’ news habits have changed dramatically in the 21st century. Today, an overwhelming majority of Americans get news at least sometimes from digital devices. This fact sheet looks at the platforms Americans turn to for news, including patterns and trends."

"Free speech ideals, heated political themes prevail on these sites, which draw praise from their users and skepticism from other Americans"

"Digital sources have become an important part of Americans’ news diets – with social media playing a crucial role, particularly for younger adults. Overall, just over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media, up slightly compared with the last few years."

"YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram remain the most widely used online platforms among U.S. teens."