53 of Republicans & Republican-leaners often get news via mobile compared to 62 of Democrats & Democrat-leaners
WASHINGTON D.C. (Texas Insider Report) Roughly 6-of-10 U.S. Adults today or 57 often get their news on a mobile device more than double the 21 who did so in 2013 according to a new Pew Research Center Survey. And Americans are now more likely to get their news via mobile device than they are through a desktop or laptop computer.
Some 30 of Americans often get their news on a desktop or laptop computer a figure that has remained relatively stable since 2013.
The first time Pew asked such questions was in 2013.
Mobile devices also outpace desktop computers when it comes to more occasional use of digital devices for news.
- 82 a substantial majority of U.S. adults overall get their news at least sometimes online whether from mobile or desktop or laptop devices
- 8-in-10 U.S. adults either sometimes or often get their news on mobile devices
- While 6-in-10 at least sometimes get their news using a desktop or laptop computer
Younger adults are far more likely than their elders to often get news on a mobile device.
- 72 of adults ages 18 to 29 often get news via a mobile device compared with
- 38 among those ages 65 and older and
- 34 of those 65 and older are more likely to often get news on a desktop or laptop compared to 23 of those ages 18 to 29
Race & Partisanship Also Play Role in Mobile News Use
For example about 6-in-10 Hispanic Adults (63) often get news through a mobile device compared with 54 of whites.
The opposite is true when it comes to getting news on desktop or laptop computers 23 among Hispanic adults vs. 31 of whites.
Black Adults fall between Hispanic and white adults on this question.
Meanwhile:
- 53 of Republicans & Republican-leaners often get news on a mobile device compared with
- 62 of Democrats & Democrat-leaning independents
- When it comes to desktop news use there are no major differences between Democrats & Republicans.
Those with more formal education and higher incomes are more likely to get news on both mobile and desktop or laptop computers. U.S. adults with a college degree for instance are more likely to often get news on mobile than those with a high school education or less (65 vs. 49).
Men and women get news on mobile at similar rates but men are more likely than women to often get news on a desktop or laptop 35 vs. 24.
The adoption of mobile devices for news has been driven by both younger and older Americans with some of the sharpest growth in recent years coming among those ages 65 and older.
Roughly 4-in-10 Americans ages 65 and older (38) often get news from a mobile device around six times the share in 2013.
In fact people in this age group are now roughly as likely to get news from a mobile device as they are to get it from a desktop or laptop 38 vs. 34.
The share of Americans ages 18 to 29 who often get news from a mobile device has more than doubled since 2013 increasing from 34 then to 72 today.
During the same period the share of Americans ages 18 to 29 who often get news from a desktop or laptop computer has decreased 9 from 34 in 2013 to 23 in 2019.
The two middle age groups those ages 30 to 49 and 50 to 64 have followed a similar pattern.
- View these links to see the full topline results and survey methodology.
