Are Citizens Turning to Newspapers Out of Habit?

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeA new Pew Study on local news reading  habits says local print newspapers account for the top slot in people's news-seeking habits when looking for locally relevant information.


Contrary to popular belief, the most prevalent source for local news is the daily newspaper in someone’s city. Most American information seeks use new and traditional sources to get their information.


This could be good news for a struggling Patch.com, which is built on the premise that the best source for <a href=” http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_new_aol_local_reporters_covering_your_neighbor.php”>hyperlocal information</A> is the web, and preferably on a mobile device.

A dive through the Pew study reveals that most people depend on a hybrid approach to getting information and that it may not actually mean anything at all that 29% of those surveyed turn to local newspapers, suggesting that they may turn to newspapers out of habit. The survey reveals that 69% of American say that if their local newspaper disappeared, it would not have a major impact on their ability to keep up with local events and news.

But then there is this weird caveat at the end: "Yet when one looks at the 79% of Americans who are online, the internet is the first or second most relied-upon source for 15 of the 16 local topics examined. For adults under 40, the web is first for 11 of the top 16 topics—and a close second on four others."

Maybe people are picking up local newspapers for more granular information, not exactly culturally-necessary information.