Friends, family and neighbors are Americans' most common source of local news

Elisa Shearer | Pew Research Center

Americans' relationship with local news is changing. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted earlier this year, more people are getting news online and fewer are turning to sources like newspapers. The survey is part of the Pew Knight Initiative, a research program jointly funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

But one thing has remained the same: the importance of friends, family and neighbors as sources of local news for most Americans. In fact they are most frequently Source of local news we asked for, ranking ahead of TV networks, radio stations and online forums like Facebook groups.

About three-quarters of Americans (73%) say they often or sometimes receive local news from friends, family and neighbors. The second highest source is television channels at 64%. In 2018, friends and family were also a common source of local news, but had not yet overtaken television.

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