Americans Largely Not Supporting, Trusting, or Reading Traditional News
The latest American Communities Project/Ipsos survey of 5,400 respondents continues to paint a very bleak picture of how Americans across geographies see the traditional news media in society and the role it plays in their daily lives.
Not Paying for News
In new items in the survey series, ACP/Ipsos found that paying for news is not at all popular regardless of where people live. The survey asked if they paid for a local news source, national news source, and content from individual creators. Some may pay for multiple sources. Overall, 15% nationally said they paid for a local news source in the last six months, while 10% said they paid for a national news source in the same time frame. Individual creators are breaking through the din and picking up subscribers. Nationally, 10% said they paid for content from individual creators in the last six months.
Paying for local news peaked in more urban-oriented environments, at 19% in Big Cities and Middle Suburbs. Notably, rural Evangelical Hubs, with lower incomes and education levels, also came in slightly above average at 18%. They are also home to many older residents who may be accustomed to paying for news content.
Paying for national news was also highest in densely populated places: Big Cities at 17%, Exurbs at 13%, and Urban Suburbs and Middle Suburbs at 12%.
In Aging Farmlands, 17% said they paid for a news source, such as a local or national newspaper or a website, in the past six months, while in Native American Lands, 18% said they did so.
Thinking Poorly of the Mainstream News Media
In addition to the affordability crisis and news deserts, the sentiment about the news business may be a key reason for a lack of financial support. Nationally, 73% agreed with the statement that “the mainstream media is more interested in making money than telling the truth.” This view was highest in middle- and low-income rural communities, at 81% in LDS Enclaves and Rural Middle America, and 80% in Working Class Country. Communities that felt slightly better about the media: Hispanic Centers at 67% and Military Posts at 66%. Military and Hispanic communities are known for their own niche media outlets.
Not Spending Much Time on News Websites
Other behaviors and feelings track with what we found in last year’s survey. In 2025, 39% said they spend no time or almost no time daily on an online news site. (In 2024, the figure was 40%.) Rural locales spent the least amount of time reading news online. In Rural Middle America, 47% said they spent no time or almost no time a day; in LDS Enclaves, it was 42%; in Working Class Country, it was 41%. Middle Suburbs and Exurbs were also at 41%.
Consuming News by Other Means
There’s a significant sense that people don’t need the news media to keep up with what’s happening. Nationally, 49% said, “I can be well-informed about local news and events even when I don’t actively follow the news.” (This figure was up from 44% in 2024.) Like last year, there was little deviance at the community level, except for very sparsely populated places. In Aging Farmlands, 72% agreed they could be well-informed about local news without following the news and in Native American Lands, 63% said so.
Instead, many people are looking to social media, where information is free and flows continuously. Overall, 47% said, “I learn more about what’s happening in my community on social media than through the news.” (Last year, 44% said so.) And once again, Aging Farmlands and Native American Lands stood out. They learned more from social media at rates of 59% and 63%, respectively.
People are also turning to trusted personal sources. Nationally, 35% said, “I rely on friends and family to tell me when important things happen in the community.” For Aging Farmlands and Native American Lands, it was well above that at 52% and 43%, respectively.
Avoiding the News Altogether
Perhaps most unsettling are the pluralities of people choosing to avoid the news for different reasons. Overall, 42% said, “I avoid the news because it is depressing.” (The national figure was the same last year.) Citing the news is depressing was highest in the LDS Enclaves at 50%.
In addition, 20% said, “I avoid the news because it does not really impact my life.” (It was 19% last year.) In Big Cities, 16% of respondents felt this way, whereas in sparsely populated Aging Farmland and Native American Lands, almost 30% did. As news deserts proliferate, news content seems less relevant to people living in smaller communities.