Television News
The main broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC—each have a news
division that broadcasts a nightly news show. For the past fifty years, most
Americans watched one or more of these broadcasts. Since the 1980s, however,
cable news channels have chipped away at the broadcast networks. CNN and
MSNBC both broadcast news around the clock. Because the cable news channels
are always broadcasting news programs, many people who want to follow a
story closely tune in to these stations first. The relatively new Fox
network news program has also drawn numerous viewers away from the big three
networks.
Radio News
The other type of broadcast media is radio. Before the advent of
television in the 1950s, most Americans relied on radio broadcasts for their
news. Although fewer Americans rely on radio as their primary news source,
many people still listen to radio news every day, especially during morning
and evening commutes. Local news stations have a particularly large audience
because they can report on local weather, traffic, and events.
The Internet
The Internet is slowly transforming the news media because more Americans
are relying on online sources of news instead of traditional print and broadcast
media. Americans surf the sites of more traditional media outlets, such as NBC
and CNN, but also turn to unique online news sources such as weblogs. Websites
can provide text, audio, and video information, all of the ways traditional
media are transmitted. The web also allows for a more interactive approach by
allowing people to personally tailor the news they receive via personalized web
portals, newsgroups, podcasts, and RSS feeds.
Weblogs—known colloquially as blogs—have become very
influential since the start of the twenty-first century. Leading bloggers write
their opinions on a variety of issues, and thousands of people respond on
message boards. Although many blogs are highly partisan and inaccurate, a few
have been instrumental in breaking big stories.
