What news platform do Americans prefer?

Starters
Written By Jonathan Milner

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. According to the data from the chart above, what news platform do most Americans prefer?

  2. According to the data from the chart above, what percent of Americans prefer to get their news from a digital platform?

  3. From what digital platform do you prefer to get your news and how does your preference compare to your parents and grandparents (ask them!)?

  4. According to the data from the chart above, what is the gap (difference between) the percent of Americans who prefer to get their news in print and those who prefer to get their news from a digital source (smartphone, computer, or tablet)?

  5. What is the big story this chart tells about American media and news?

  6. According to the data from the visual below*, how does age impact news platform preference?

  7. Within a few days of the passage of the U.S. Constitution, Americans could read the entire printed version of the Constitution. Now, we have even faster and more universal access to information and news. Explain whether you think a larger portion of the population had read the Constitution in 1787, or has read it today.

  8. The U.S. Intelligence Community says a massive amount of disinformation may be coming to your social media feeds. TikTok, X and Facebook will all be flooded with fake claims and manipulated images and video about both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. X CEO and cyborg-creeper Elon Musk himself reposted a manipulated but realistic video of Kamala Harris, saying words she never said. Digital media is easy to manipulate, whereas, print media, while possibly biased or opinionated, rarely contains misinformation or outright lies. Imagine that we lived in an era without online news (no X, facebook, Snapchat, TikTok!). How would that impact American politics and the 2024 election?

  9. We know that many people simply watch news that reinforces their political biases. This is called selective exposure. In other words, Conservatives watch conservative news, and liberals watch liberal news. Nobody changes their mind. Explain how much of the news you watch simply reinforces the political views you already possess and describe the impact of selective exposure on American politics.

  10. How does the First Amendment’s freedom of speech clause, “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech,” impact the ability of the federal government to regulate and restrict misinformation?

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Change your news platform for one week (e.g. if you mostly get your news online, use radio as your main news source) and share how this impacted your views of the news (that rhymes).

Get Creative

Plot out a visual of what you imagine these numbers would have looked like in 2000.

Learning Extension*

Check out the latest Pew Report and TikTok dance on where Americans get their news.

 
 

Glossary

Jonathan Milner

Civics Maven!

https://www.gopopro.com/
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