A news outlet is a media source that gathers and disseminates information about events in society, and plays a critical role in democracy by helping citizens understand how their government works and holding those in power accountable. News outlets may take many forms, including newspapers, television networks, radio stations and digital platforms such as websites, blogs and social media. The First Amendment grants freedom of the press, which protects news outlets from government censorship and allows them to investigate corruption and other problems.
The advent of digital technology has expanded the reach of news outlets, allowing individuals to capture images or broadcast video directly from their smartphones. This can have a powerful agenda-setting effect, as illustrated by the 1991 incident in which private citizen Rodney King’s camcorder footage of police beating him triggered riots in Los Angeles. The Internet also allows news outlets to publish stories instantly, reducing time to market and increasing visibility and readership.
The vast majority of Americans get their news at least sometimes from a digital source such as a website or app, search engine or social media. This fact sheet looks at how Americans use these outlets to stay informed, and how their consumption varies by age, gender, race, education and political leaning. It also looks at how these outlets compare to other traditional outlets such as print publications and television.
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