2008-01-10-皮尤-Internet_s_Broader_Role_in_Campaign_2008_32页_129kb

Summary of the 2008 Presidential Campaign and Internet Usage

Core Content

This document presents a survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, highlighting the evolving role of the internet and social media in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. It compares data from 2000, 2004, and 2008 to illustrate trends in media consumption and political engagement.

Main Findings

• Internet as a Major News Source: The internet has become a significant source of campaign news, with 24% of Americans regularly learning about the campaign from the internet in 2008, up from 13% in 2004 and 9% in 2000. This growth is most pronounced among younger demographics.
• Young People's Use of the Internet: 42% of those aged 18–29 regularly get campaign news from the internet, the highest percentage for any news source. This represents a more than doubling of usage since 2004.
• Decline in Traditional Media: There has been a decline in reliance on traditional news sources such as local TV news (down 8 points), nightly network news (down 13 points), and daily newspapers (down 9 points) since 2000.
• Social Networking and Online Videos: Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, and online videos (e.g., YouTube), are becoming increasingly important for campaign information. 27% of Americans under 30 and 37% of those aged 18–24 got campaign information from social networking sites.
• Online Video Consumption: 24% of Americans have watched campaign-related videos online, with 41% of those under 30 viewing at least one type of campaign video (speeches, interviews, commercials, debates).
• Television Still Dominant: Despite the rise of the internet, television remains the main source of campaign news, with 60% of Americans citing it as their primary source. However, this is down from 68% in 2004.
• Comedy Shows and the Writers' Strike: The writers' strike had a modest impact on campaign news consumption, with only 28% of those who got news from comedy and late-night shows feeling they missed out on information. Among young people, the impact was slightly higher (37%).

Key Trends

• Generational Divide: The age gap in campaign news sources has widened, with younger people increasingly turning to the internet over traditional media.
• Long Tail of Online Sources: While MSNBC, CNN, and Yahoo News dominate, a wide variety of other websites also provide campaign information, indicating a "long tail" of online sources.
• Political Bias Perceptions: Most Americans (62%) perceive political bias in news coverage, but there has been a slight decline in the perception of pro-Republican bias, with only 9% seeing it now compared to 17% in 2004.

Online Campaign Activities

• Email Communication: 16% of Americans have sent or received emails about the campaign with friends and family, and 14% have received emails from political groups.
• Candidate Websites: 8% of Americans have visited candidate websites, similar to the number who have visited news satire sites.
• Social Networking: 22% of Americans use social networking sites, with 27% of those aged 18–29 getting campaign information from them. Younger users are more likely to engage with these platforms for political purposes.

Impact of the Writers' Strike

• The strike had a limited effect on campaign news consumption, with only 35% of Americans reporting that they missed out on some information due to the absence of comedy and late-night shows.
• Among young people, 37% felt they missed out on information, indicating a greater reliance on these shows for news.

Perception of Bias in Online Media

• 13% of web users believe more news sites favor Democrats, while 6% think more favor Republicans.
• 45% of web users believe the number of pro-Democrat and pro-Republican sites are about equal.
• 36% of web users did not offer an opinion on the bias of news and opinion websites.

Conclusion

The internet has emerged as a major, if not the primary, source of campaign news, especially for young people. While television remains the dominant source overall, the shift toward online platforms is evident, particularly through social networking and video content. The perception of political bias in news coverage has remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease in pro-Republican bias. The writers' strike had a minimal impact on campaign news consumption, and the use of online video has shown significant growth.