Americans Consume Local Crime News Differently Based On These Factors

We all know that ideological differences can influence the way we seek out and interpret national and international news stories. But a new study finds that local news — particularly stories about crime — can be just as divisive.

What are the influences?

According to data compiled by the Pew Research Center, there are several demographic factors that can skew the outlets we trust for local crime news as well as our interpretation of the reports we find.

Three notable examples include:

• Age: Those between the ages of 18 and 29 are more likely to seek out local crime news via social media or search engines as their first source of information. On the other end of the spectrum, nearly two-fifths of those over the age of 65 rely on local news outlets as their primary sources.
• Race: Black Americans are more likely than other racial groups to consume local crime news as well as to express concern about the impact of violent crime on their communities. Statistics show they’re also more inclined than other races to favor executive or legislative action to reduce crime.
• Political affiliation: Democrats report a higher likelihood than Republicans to believe that crime reports are exaggerated. Additionally, more than one-third of Democrats think local crime news unfairly targets people based on their race and ethnicity compared to just over 1 in 10 Republicans who said the same.

Are there any similarities?

Some trends seem to defy the categories listed above. A general overview of the population reveals that more than three-fourths of American adults consume at least some local crime news and more than one-third say they do so often.

But only about 1 in 3 say they are very or extremely satisfied with the coverage they find, regardless of the source.

Chris Agee September 9th, 2024

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