Eighty-six percent of US adults get news at least sometimes from a smartphone, computer or tablet, 64% get it from television, 53% from social media and 32% from podcasts, according to Pew Research Center’s latest platform data. Fox News still leads cable with 2.06 million primetime viewers in the third quarter of 2026, while Gallup’s September 2026 poll found trust in the mass media at 33%, up from a record-low 28% a year earlier.
Political News in America 2026 – Introduction
Political news in the US now runs through a dozen channels at once. Television still draws a big audience, especially older viewers and partisans who want one trusted network. Phones, search engines, social feeds, podcasts and video creators pull the rest, and younger adults lean on them far more than their parents do. The result is a split audience that rarely watches the same thing at the same time.
2026 has sharpened that split. Midterm elections are weeks away, a president and the press are fighting over access, and trust in news sits near the lowest levels ever recorded. Cable ratings rise and fall with each news cycle, while creators and podcasters keep gaining ground. This report breaks down where Americans get political news, who they trust and what the numbers say about TV, online news and podcasts, one data table at a time.
Interesting Facts About Political News Consumption in the US 2026
TRUST IN MASS MEDIA, GALLUP
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1970s (about seven in ten) ██████████████ ~70%
1998 peak of the modern era ███████████ 55%
2025 record low ██████ 28%
2026 (September poll) ███████ 33%
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| Interesting Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Adults who get news from digital devices, at least sometimes | 86% |
| Adults who get news from television, at least sometimes | 64%, including 32% often |
| Adults who get news from social media, at least sometimes | 53% |
| Adults who get news from podcasts, at least sometimes | 32% |
| Adults who regularly get news from news influencers | 21% |
| Fox News primetime audience, Q3 2026 | 2.06 million viewers |
| Trust in mass media, Gallup, September 2026 | 33%, up from 28% |
| Trust in news in the US, Reuters Institute 2026 | 25% |
Source: Pew Research Center News Platform Fact Sheet and News Influencers Fact Sheet; Nielsen via Deadline; Gallup, September 2026; Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026.
The first five rows show how Americans reach the news. Digital devices lead at 86%, television follows at 64%, social media reaches 53% and podcasts 32%. Pew found that 21% regularly get news from influencers, a share that has not moved since 2024. Television and digital are not rivals so much as stacked habits, and most adults use both within the same week.
The last three rows show the trust problem. Fox News drew 2.06 million primetime viewers in Q3 2026, but Gallup puts media trust at only 33%, a partial rebound from 28% in 2025, and the Reuters Institute found only 25% of Americans trust most news. Gallup says about seven in ten Americans trusted the media in the 1970s. The chart shows how far confidence has fallen from there.
How Americans Get News in 2026 | TV, Websites, Social Media and Podcasts
SHARE WHO GET NEWS AT LEAST SOMETIMES, 2025
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Digital devices █████████████████ 86%
Television █████████████ 64%
News websites or apps █████████████ 64%
Social media ███████████ 53%
Radio █████████ 44%
Podcasts ██████ 32%
Printed newspapers █████ 25%
AI chatbots ██ 9%
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| News Platform | Often | Sometimes | At Least Sometimes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital devices | 56% | 30% | 86% |
| Television | 32% | 31% | 64% |
| News websites or apps | 27% | 37% | 64% |
| Social media | 21% | 32% | 53% |
| Radio | 11% | 33% | 44% |
| Podcasts | 10% | 22% | 32% |
| Printed newspapers or magazines | 7% | 18% | 25% |
| AI chatbots | 2% | 7% | 9% |
Source: Pew Research Center News Platform Fact Sheet, survey of US adults conducted August 18-24, 2025, updated June 2026.
Digital devices dominate. About 86% of adults get news from a phone, computer or tablet at least sometimes, and 56% do it often. Television is the next most common source at 64%, with 32% using it often, a figure that has held steady for years. News websites and apps match television at 64%, though only 27% use them often. Social media reaches 53%, with 21% going there often.
The smaller channels still matter. Radio reaches 44% and printed papers 25%, though only 11% and 7% use them often. Podcasts reach 32%, up from 22% in 2020, and AI chatbots reach 9%, with just 2% using them often. When asked to pick one, 34% prefer television, 21% prefer news websites, 14% prefer social media, 10% prefer search, 6% prefer podcasts and 3% prefer email newsletters.
US News Consumption Trends 2026 | Reuters Institute Findings on Social Video, Trust and Avoidance
US WEEKLY NEWS USE BY SOURCE, 2026
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Social media and video ███████████ 56%
Television █████████ 45%
News websites and apps █████████ 45%
Facebook ███████ 36%
YouTube ███████ 33%
News podcasts ███ 14%
AI chatbots █ 6%
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| Reuters Institute Metric | United States, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Social media and video used for news weekly | 56% |
| Television and news websites used for news weekly | 45% each |
| Facebook used for news weekly | 36% |
| YouTube used for news weekly | 33% |
| News podcasts accessed weekly | 14% |
| AI chatbots used for news weekly | 6% |
| Trust in most news | 25%, down 5 points |
| Concern about online misinformation | 75% |
| Americans who avoid news sometimes or often | 45% |
| Americans who do not pay for online news | 80% |
Source: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Digital News Report 2026, as reported by MIRS, Press Gazette and Podcast News Daily.
The Reuters Institute’s 2026 report confirms the shift. Social media and video reach 56% of Americans weekly for news, ahead of television and news websites at 45% each. Facebook (36%) and YouTube (33%) lead the platforms. Weekly news podcast use sits at 14%, and AI chatbots for news sit at 6%, unchanged from a year earlier while global use grew from 7% to 10%.
The attitude numbers are weaker than the usage numbers. Trust in most news fell 5 points to 25%, and 75% worry about online misinformation. About 45% of Americans avoid the news at least sometimes, and 80% do not pay for online news. Political news is easy to find and hard to trust, which pushes many people toward sources that match their views.
News Podcast Statistics 2026 | Who Listens, Who Trusts and What They Hear
GET NEWS FROM PODCASTS, OFTEN OR SOMETIMES, 2025
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All adults ████████████████ 32%
Ages 18-29 ████████████████████ 39%
Ages 30-49 ████████████████████ 39%
Ages 50-64 ███████████████ 29%
Ages 65+ █████████ 18%
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| Podcast Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| Adults who listened to a podcast in the past year | 54% |
| Adults who get news from podcasts at least sometimes | 32%, up from 22% in 2020 |
| Under 50 versus 50 and older | 39% versus 24% |
| Trust podcast news more than other sources | 23%; Republicans 31%, Democrats 15% |
| Podcasts that explain news in depth | 69% of news podcast consumers listen |
| Podcasts with hosts sharing opinions | 61% listen |
| Adults who paid for news podcasts | 6% |
Source: Pew Research Center Podcasts and News Fact Sheet, survey conducted August 18-24, 2025, updated May 2026.
Podcasts have become a regular part of the news diet. About 54% of adults listened to a podcast in the past year, and 32% get news from podcasts at least sometimes, up from 22% in 2020. Age drives the gap: 39% of adults under 50 use podcasts for news, against 24% of those 50 and older, and only 18% of adults 65 and up.
Trust runs along party lines. Among podcast news consumers, 23% trust podcast news more than other sources, 53% trust it about the same and 23% trust it less. Republicans lead at 31% trusting it more, against 15% of Democrats. Listeners favor explainers (69%) and opinion shows (61%), and only 6% of adults have paid for a news podcast.
News Influencers and Social Media for Political News 2026 | Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and X
ADULTS WHO REGULARLY GET NEWS ON EACH SITE, 2025
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Facebook ███████████████████ 38%
YouTube ███████████████████ 38%
Instagram ██████████ 20%
TikTok ██████████ 20%
X ██████ 12%
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| Social News Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| Adults who regularly get news from news influencers | 21% |
| Influencer news, ages 18-29 | 38% |
| Influencer news, ages 65 and older | 8% |
| Republicans versus Democrats | 21% versus 22% |
| Mostly come across influencer news by chance | 69% |
| Say most influencers are independent | 52% |
| Major reason: quick breaking news | 54% |
Source: Pew Research Center Social Media and News Fact Sheet and News Influencers Fact Sheet, survey conducted August 18-24, 2025.
Facebook and YouTube lead the social platforms, with 38% of adults regularly getting news on each. Instagram and TikTok follow at 20%, and X reaches 12%. About 21% of adults regularly get news from news influencers, including 38% of those aged 18 to 29 and just 8% of those 65 and older. Republicans (21%) and Democrats (22%) use influencers at almost the same rate.
Most influencer news arrives by accident. About 69% of regular users say they mostly come across it, while 31% look for it. Among those users, 52% say most influencers are independent of news organizations, and 54% cite quick reporting on breaking news as a major reason. Younger users cite entertainment more often, and older users cite shared opinions and authenticity.
Cable News Ratings 2026 | Fox News, MS NOW and CNN in the Third Quarter
Q3 2026 PRIMETIME VIEWERS
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Fox News █████████████████████████████████████████ 2,060,000
MS NOW ███████████████████ 930,000
CNN ████████████ 607,000
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| Network | Primetime Viewers | Change vs 2025 | Total-Day Viewers | Change vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox News | 2.06 million | -17% | 1.32 million | -15.8% |
| MS NOW | 930,000 | +16% | 592,000 | +20.3% |
| CNN | 607,000 | +12.8% | 426,000 | +7.6% |
Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, as reported by Deadline and Adweek TVNewser, October 2026.
Fox News still dominates, even after a down quarter. Its primetime audience of 2.06 million fell 17% from Q3 2025, and its total-day audience of 1.32 million fell 15.8%. In September, Fox primetime averaged 1.72 million, down 32%. Fox still drew more than twice MS NOW’s audience and more than triple CNN’s, and The Five led cable news for the 20th straight quarter, as the US news channel ratings report details.
The other two networks grew. MS NOW’s primetime audience rose 16% to 930,000, and its total day rose 20.3% to 592,000, moving it into second place in total day. CNN grew 12.8% in primetime to 607,000 and 7.6% in total day to 426,000. In the 25-54 demo, Fox drew 183,000 (down 24.7%), CNN 101,000 (up 16.1%) and MS NOW 84,000 (up 27.3%).
Political Events on TV 2026 | Republican Midterm Convention and NFL Viewership
SAME-NIGHT AUDIENCES, SEPTEMBER 9-10, 2026 AND 2024
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NFL season opener (NBC) ████████████████████████████████████ 25.1M
2024 RNC Trump speech (Fox peak) ████████████ 10.4M
Fox News, convention night one ███ 2.5M
MS NOW, convention night one ██ 1.0M
Newsmax, convention night one ▌ about 0.4M
CNN, convention night one ▌ 0.441M
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| Event Metric | Viewers |
|---|---|
| Fox News, night one (September 9) | 2.5 million |
| MS NOW, night one | 1 million |
| CNN, night one | 441,000 |
| Newsmax, night one | About 400,000 |
| NewsNation, night one | About 125,000 |
| Fox News, night two | 2.6 million |
| NFL season opener on NBC | 25.1 million (broadcast and streaming) |
| 2024 RNC, Trump speech peak | 10.4 million |
Source: Nielsen data as reported by Reuters and CNN; NBC; Fox News and Deadline, September 2026.
The Republican midterm convention in Dallas, held September 9-10, tested whether a midterm-year gathering could draw a national audience. Fox News was the only major cable network to air Trump’s roughly two-hour speech in full, and it averaged 2.5 million viewers, ahead of MS NOW at 1 million and CNN at 441,000. Night two drew 2.6 million on Fox. Newsmax drew about 400,000 and NewsNation about 125,000 on night one, a pattern covered in the Republican midterm convention viewership statistics report.
Context matters. Trump said the event “beat the NFL,” but NBC reported 25.1 million viewers for the season opener, ten times Fox’s audience. The 2024 RNC speech peaked at 10.4 million, about four times the midterm figure. CNN’s Brian Stelter noted that Fox draws almost that many viewers on a normal night, so there was no visible bump. The convention reached a loyal audience rather than a broad one.
Political News Demand Before the 2026 Midterms | Voter Mood and Engagement Data
AMERICANS' MOOD HEADING INTO THE MIDTERMS
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Dissatisfied with the state of the nation ███████████████ 77%
Voters counting Trump as a factor █████████████ 63%
Vote is against Trump █████████ 44%
Satisfied with the state of the nation ████ 22%
Vote is for Trump ████ 19%
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| Midterm Mood Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Satisfied with the state of the nation | 22% |
| Dissatisfied with the state of the nation | 77% |
| Registered voters who see Trump as a factor in their vote | 63% |
| Vote is against Trump | 44% |
| Vote is for Trump | 19% |
| Democratic edge in House preference | 8 points |
| Americans very concerned about gas and energy prices | 74% |
| Survey size and dates | 5,062 adults, September 28-October 4, 2026 |
Source: Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel Wave 200, report released October 8, 2026.
The mood explains why political news is in demand. Only 22% of Americans are satisfied with the direction of the country, and 77% are dissatisfied. Among registered voters, 63% say President Trump is a factor in their vote for Congress, and far more call it a vote against him (44%) than for him (19%). Democratic candidates hold an 8-point edge in House preferences, and Democratic voters report higher engagement.
Economic anxiety adds fuel. About 74% of adults are very concerned about the price of gas and energy, up from 60% in July and 43% in January, before the military conflict in Iran. Pew surveyed 5,062 adults between September 28 and October 4. Voters who feel this way tend to follow campaign coverage closely, and the audience data above show where they go: cable for partisans, phones and creators for younger voters, and podcasts for those who want depth.
Trust in News and Partisan Sources 2026 | Gallup, Pew and Press Freedom Data
TRUST IN MASS MEDIA BY GROUP, GALLUP
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Republicans 2025 ████ 8%
Republicans 2026 ███████████ 22%
Democrats 2025 ██████████████████████████ 51%
Democrats 2026 █████████████████████████ 50%
Independents 2026 ████████████████ 31%
All adults 2026 █████████████████ 33%
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| Trust and Source Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Gallup trust in media, all adults | 33% (September 2026), 28% (2025) |
| Gallup trust, Republicans | 22%, up from 8%; highest since 2015 |
| Gallup trust, Democrats and independents | 50% and 31% |
| Pew trust in national news, Democrats versus Republicans | 69% versus 44% (at least some trust) |
| Regularly get news from Fox News | 57% of Republicans, 18% of Democrats |
| Regularly get news from CNN | 48% of Democrats, 20% of Republicans |
| Journalists criticizing politicians is acceptable | 68% of adults |
Source: Gallup Governance poll, September 1-17, 2026; Pew Research Center, 2025 and September 2026; Pew-Knight Initiative.
Gallup’s September 2026 poll shows a small rebound. Overall trust rose to 33% from 28%, and nearly all of the gain came from Republicans, whose confidence rose to 22% from 8%, the highest level since 2015. Democrats held at 50%, and independents stood at 31%. Democrats are still more than twice as likely as Republicans to trust the media, so the partisan gap persists.
Sources differ sharply by party. Pew found 57% of Republicans regularly get news from Fox News against 18% of Democrats, while 48% of Democrats use CNN against 20% of Republicans. A Pew survey from June 2026 found 68% of adults say it is acceptable for journalists to criticize politicians, and more than half say politicians may criticize journalists. The fight over reporter credentials is tracked in the White House press access statistics report, and trust is likely to shape how voters judge it.
Political News Consumption in the US FAQs
How do Americans get political news in 2026?
Mostly through digital devices (86% at least sometimes) and television (64%). Social media reaches 53% and podcasts 32%, according to Pew Research Center.
What is the most popular source of news in the US?
Digital devices. About 86% of adults get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet at least sometimes, and 56% do it often.
How many Americans get news from television?
About 64% at least sometimes and 32% often, according to Pew’s 2025 survey. About 34% say television is their preferred platform.
Which cable news network has the most viewers in 2026?
Fox News, with 2.06 million primetime viewers in Q3 2026, ahead of MS NOW (930,000) and CNN (607,000).
Are Fox News ratings down in 2026?
Yes. Fox’s Q3 primetime audience fell 17% from Q3 2025, and its September primetime audience fell 32%, though it remains first.
Is MS NOW growing?
Yes. MS NOW’s primetime audience rose 16% in Q3 2026 and its total-day audience rose 20.3%.
How many Americans get news from podcasts?
About 32% at least sometimes and 10% often, up from 22% at least sometimes in 2020.
What are news influencers?
Pew defines them as people with large social media followings who often post about news, politics or social issues. About 21% of adults regularly get news from them.
How much do Americans trust the media in 2026?
Gallup found 33% have a great deal or fair amount of trust, up from 28% in 2025. The Reuters Institute found 25% trust most news.
Do Republicans trust the media more in 2026?
Slightly. Gallup shows Republican trust rose to 22% from 8%, but Democrats are still more than twice as likely to trust the media.
How many Americans use AI chatbots for news?
About 9% at least sometimes, per Pew, and 6% weekly, per the Reuters Institute. Only 2% use them often.
How many people watched the Republican midterm convention?
Fox News averaged 2.5 million viewers for Trump’s night-one speech on September 9, 2026, and 2.6 million on night two.
Did the convention beat the NFL?
No. NBC reported 25.1 million viewers for the NFL season opener the same night, about ten times Fox’s audience.
How many Americans are satisfied with the direction of the country?
Only 22%, according to Pew’s survey conducted September 28-October 4, 2026. About 77% are dissatisfied.
What share of voters say Trump is a factor in their midterm vote?
About 63% of registered voters, and more of them call their vote a vote against Trump (44%) than for him (19%), according to Pew.
Which age group uses news influencers the most?
Adults ages 18 to 29. About 38% regularly get news from influencers, compared with 8% of those 65 and older.
Is the trust gap between parties closing?
Partly. Gallup shows Republican trust rising from 8% to 22% in 2026, but Democrats at 50% are still more than twice as likely to trust the media.
Do Americans pay for online news?
Rarely. The Reuters Institute found 80% of Americans do not pay for online news, and Pew found 6% have paid for news podcasts.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.