2004-06-07-皮尤-News_Audiences_Increasingly_Politicized_106页_317kb

Summary of 2004 Pew Research Center Media Consumption Survey

• Online News Growth: The online news audience increased gradually, now reaching nearly three-in-ten Americans. Greater use occurred among minorities (e.g., 25% of African Americans) as well as age and education groups. The audience is younger, wealthier, and more educated than users of other media.

• Cable News Expansion:

  • Cable news viewership grew significantly since 2002, with Fox News Channel capturing notable increases.
  • Political polarization influenced cable news consumption: Fox News' audience is more conservative and Republican compared to the general public.

• Media Credibility Declines: Credibility ratings for traditional outlets like CNN and the New York Times fell, especially among Republicans. Democrats generally maintained the same views as in the past, widening the partisan gap.

  • Republicans became more distrustful overall, while Democrats' evaluations remained steady with the news media.

• Increasing International News Interest: More Americans are following international news closely, particularly due to interest in conflicts like the war in Iraq. This growth was especially notable among women, minorities, and less-educated individuals. The traditional decline in network evening news and newspaper readership did not erase international news interest.

• Demographic Shifts:

  • Minorities, including African Americans and Hispanics, increased online news usage. Hispanics doubled their participation between 2002 and 2004.
  • Younger and male college graduates were more likely to use online news regularly. Female college graduates over 40 showed dramatically increasing interest.

• Partisan Differences: Conservative and liberal viewers often chose media sources reflecting their political beliefs. Fox News gained Republican support, while public trust in CNN declined. Ideological intake also affected radio shows, magazines, and online content.

• Behavioral Changes: Use of media sources has realigned, with the Internet playing an increasingly central, though not daily, role for getting news. Print media use slowed, while online sources supported broader news consumption. Video, radio, and entertainment news sources saw minimal decline.

• Stable yet Divided Media Preferences: While overall media consumption patterns remained steady, deep variation emerged: new readers increasingly used news-based sources, while others depend on traditional ones like television news. Trust developed on partisan lines, with little agreement across the partisan spectrum regarding media credibility.

This survey indicates significant shifts in the information environment due to the growth of online news and increasing political polarization in media consumption in the year leading up to 2004.