News is available in a variety of forms, but a March survey by the Pew Research Center found 26 percent of Americans are accessing news on their phones.This “on the go” access is most commonly used to check news such as weather, current events and sports scores, according to the survey.”I use my phone to check Google, sports scores and weather,” said Ryan Seiter, marketing sophomore.Mary Mayronne, nursing freshman, said she prefers to use her phone just to make calls and send text messages.The survey found 92 percent of Americans use multiple sources, including national and local TV, the Internet and newspapers to access news.Forty-six percent said they used four to six sources on a typical day.The Internet ranked third behind local television news and national television news as the most popular source for news.The survey said Americans find their news based on foraging and opportunism, meaning they check for news when the feeling strikes or when they have the time.”I check throughout the day just to see what’s happening,” Seiter said.News is also becoming more personalized. Twenty-eight percent of surveyed Americans said they customize some news Web sites to filter in news that interests them.Maddie Windstein, kinesiology sophomore, said she prefers to see entertainment and sports news.”I don’t filter my news,” Seiter said. “I like seeing everything.” Thirty-seven percent of Internet users participate in the news through Web sites like Twitter and Facebook.Eight in 10 said they also share articles through e-mail.Priscilla Parker, math junior, said her friends send her e-mails and Facebook posts with news that interests them.Many Americans find it easy to access news, but 70 percent of surveyed Americans said the quantity of news from multiple sources is overwhelming.—-Contact Grace Montgomery at [email protected].
Many Americans use phones for news
March 15, 2010