Older Americans continue to follow COVID-19 news more closely than younger adults
More than two-thirds of adults ages 65 or older said they were following news of the pandemic very closely.
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More than two-thirds of adults ages 65 or older said they were following news of the pandemic very closely.
Many U.S. news organizations are covering the coronavirus pandemic while themselves facing financial pressure from the outbreak.
While U.S. Democrats turn to a variety of outlets for political news, no source comes close to matching the appeal of Fox News for Republicans.
Newsroom employment dropped by a quarter between 2008 and 2018, but the job cuts were not shouldered equally by journalists of all ages.
Responses to cable news coverage and the pandemic vary notably among Americans who identify Fox News, MSNBC or CNN as their main source of political news.
More than half of these social media news consumers say they have encountered made-up news about COVID-19.
There are notable differences between white and black Democrats in news consumption habits and assessments of recent political events and figures in the news.
In total, 20% of all Democrats get political news only from outlets with left-leaning audiences, while 18% of all Republicans do so only from outlets with right-leaning audiences.
Nearly three out of four U.S. adults say that, in general, it’s important for journalists to function as watchdogs over elected officials.
Concern is highest among people who follow political news most closely, older adults and those who display more knowledge about politics in general.
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