Fewer Americans are closely following local news, even as more turn to digital platforms and informal sources to stay informed, according to a new report from Pew Research Center.
Just 21% of U.S. adults say they follow local news very closely in 2025, a sharp drop from 37% in 2016, highlighting a long-term decline in engagement that mirrors broader trends across the media landscape.
The report shows traditional outlets still play a major role, but their influence is slipping. About 65% of Americans say they get local news from television at least sometimes, down slightly from recent years, while newspaper readership continues to fall, with just 36% reporting they use local papers.
At the same time, digital alternatives are rapidly gaining ground. More than half of Americans now get local news from online forums or discussion groups, and 42% say they turn to online-only news sources — nearly triple the share from 2018. Word-of-mouth also remains significant, with 72% saying they get news from friends, family or neighbors.
Even when people rely on traditional outlets, the way they access them has shifted. A growing share of users now consume local TV and newspaper content online rather than through print or broadcast, signaling a deeper transformation in how local journalism is delivered and consumed.
Despite declining engagement, most Americans still see value in local news. About 80% say it is at least somewhat important to their community’s well-being, though fewer now describe it as highly important compared to previous years.
The report also underscores a major financial challenge for the industry: just 12% of Americans say they paid for local news in the past year. Among those who did not, half said it was because they could find the information they needed for free.
Researchers say the findings point to a widening gap between the perceived importance of local journalism and the public’s willingness to actively support it — a dynamic that continues to reshape the future of local news nationwide.
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