For local news, Americans turn to friends, family and neighbors

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Americans’ relationship with local news is changing. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted earlier this year, more people are getting news online and fewer are turning to sources like newspapers. The survey is part of the Pew Knight Initiative, a research program jointly funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

But one thing has remained the same: the importance of friends, family and neighbors as sources of local news for most Americans. In fact they are the most together Source of local news we asked for, ranking ahead of TV networks, radio stations and online forums like Facebook groups.

About three-quarters of Americans (73%) say they often or sometimes receive local news from friends, family and neighbors. The second highest source is television channels at 64%. In 2018, friends and family were also a common source of local news, but had not yet overtaken television.

Friends, family and neighbors are an important source of local news for the majority of Americans, regardless of age, political party, race or ethnicity.

How people get local news from those they know

Even as news consumption becomes more digital, local news sharing between friends, family, and neighbors still occurs largely through word of mouth (in person or by phone) rather than through social media, email, or text messages. A majority (62%) of those who get local news from friends and family say they typically get this news through word of mouth.

This share is below the 71% of Americans who said they received this news through word of mouth in 2018. Meanwhile, the proportion who receive them via social media has increased from 17% in 2018 to 25% in 2024.

Get local news on specific topics

Friends, family and neighbors are also among the top sources for two of the most common local news topics: politics and crime. About seven in 10 Americans say they get news from local government and local crime news from friends, family and neighbors. That’s about the same share as those who say they get local political and crime news from news outlets.

Social interaction is also common among Americans answer to local crime news.

About three-quarters of U.S. adults (73%) say they have talked to friends, family or neighbors about crime in their local community. This is far higher than the proportions who say they have posted or shared on social media or elsewhere online (21%), spoken to local officials or police (19%), or communicated with a journalist (5% ).

Most people (72%) who receive news about local crime from friends, family and neighbors think it is at least somewhat accurate, although only 10% say it is very Exactly. Another 17% say the information is not accurate or not accurate at all, while 10% are unsure. The proportion who say they are at least somewhat accurate is higher than the proportion who say the same about news from locally targeted apps like Nextdoor, social media or local politicians.

About one in five Americans (22%) say they get information about local crime from friends, family and neighbors exaggerates the level of crime in their community. Another 7% say their friends and family underplay the level of crime. Still, 52% say their friends and family are doing it right.

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis: Topline and the Survey methodology.