How people learn about their local community

Part 5: The role of the internet

The internet has become a significant local information source

The internet has already surpassed newspapers as a source Americans turn to for national and international news.5 The findings from this survey now show its emerging role as a source for local news and information as well.

Among all adults, the internet is either the most popular source or tied with newspapers as the most popular source for five of the 16 local topics in the survey—from restaurants and businesses to housing, schools and jobs.

Among the 79% of Americans who are online, the internet is an even more significant source for local news and information. Looking just at this group, the internet is the first or second most important source for 15 of the 16 local topics examined. The internet ran a distinct third place for local crime news, a category for which internet users are more likely to turn to newspapers and television. However, for most local information topics asked about—from local restaurants to weather to politics to local businesses—internet users have found online-only sources that they rely upon—and this does not include the websites of legacy media.6

Among adults under age 40, similarly, the internet rivals or surpasses other platforms on every single topic area except one (breaking local news). It is first or tied for first on 12 topics and a second choice for three others. This poses a major challenge to more traditional news providers, especially newspapers, which have often aspired to be a relatively comprehensive source of information on all of these topics.7

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Beyond the topics for which it is the top source, the internet is often the second-most important source of information on a variety of other topics. They include community events, weather, and local arts and cultural activities. 

Interestingly, even as the web has gained traction, there is one major area where it still lags well behind—breaking news. Here, local television news (which includes local TV websites but is driven almost entirely by broadcasts) still well outpace online sources. Among all adults, 55% say they rely on local TV for breaking news, compared with 16% who say they rely on the internet and 14% who rely on newspapers.

Notes

5 Pew Research Center, “Internet Gains on Television as Public’s Main News Source.” Available at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1844/poll-main-source-national-international-news-internet-television-newspapers

6 The figures for those relying on the internet for particular topics do not include people who specified that they accessed the websites of local newspapers or television stations. For purposes of this report, these respondents are considered newspaper or television users, respectively. Those who cite the internet as their main source for a particular topic, then, are those who turn to the internet generally, use a search engine, or go to specialty websites for that topic. Social networking sites and mobile phone users were coded separately as well. Only very small percentages of adults said they turn to social networks for local news.

7 Social networking sites and mobile phone users were coded separately as well. Only very small percentages of adults said they turn to social networks for local news.

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Copyright 2012 Pew Internet & American Life Project

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project is one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center. The Center is supported by The Pew Charitable Trust.