For many, the news has become a source of anxiety, frustration, or even outright fear. It’s no surprise, then, that more and more people are choosing to tune out. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research recently found that 65 percent of U.S. adults reported limiting their media consumption on politics and government due to "information overload" and exhaustion. This isn’t just a partisan trend—72 percent of Democratic voters, 59 percent of Republicans, and 63 percent of independents admitted to stepping back from the news.
But the data is sobering: after election night, viewership for MSNBC and CNN dropped by 54 percent and 45 percent respectively, according to Nielsen. While Fox News bucked the trend with a 13 percent increase in post-election viewership, the overall landscape shows that many Americans are disengaging from traditional news sources.
But why are we tuning out? The Problem of Overload and Fatigue
It’s not hard to see how we got here. For years, the 24-hour news cycle has bombarded us with breaking news alerts, polarizing commentary, and headlines designed to provoke outrage or fear. In this relentless environment, many feel overwhelmed, mistrustful, or simply numb. The constant churn of bad news—be it political drama, natural disasters, or economic uncertainty—has eroded our capacity to engage.
The result? A society where people increasingly avoid the news altogether, leading to an uninformed citizenry. The consequences of this withdrawal could be far-reaching:
Erosion of Civic Engagement: Research shows that when people tune out, they’re less likely to vote, volunteer, or advocate for change. Disengagement risks leaving decisions in the hands of a smaller, more polarized group.
Decline in Media Accountability: As audiences shrink, so does the funding for quality journalism. Investigative reporting—the kind that holds institutions accountable and uncovers corruption—requires resources that are harder to come by when people stop paying attention. And it does not help when one side ups there engagement, while the other steps back.
Echo Chambers and Misinformation:Many who step away from traditional news turn to social media for information. This often leads to exposure to unverified or outright false sources, further deepening divisions and amplifying misinformation.
What Kind of Journalism Do We Need?
I hope that the current model of sensationalized, nonstop “news” is unsustainable, journalism itself is vital to our republic. Society doesn’t need less journalism—it needs better journalism, and people to tune in to it.
Investigative Reporting: Journalism that uncovers truths, polices our institutions, and demands accountability will always be relevant. But it needs to adapt, focusing less on speed and more on depth. We need a mirror held up to keep those in power accountable and honest.
In-Depth Formats: Not all reporting has to arrive in the form of daily news. Long-form articles, documentaries, and NPR still provide nuanced perspectives and context, giving people time to digest complex issues without feeling overwhelmed.
Solutions Journalism: Instead of focusing solely on problems, true journalists can also highlight solutions, showcasing how communities are addressing challenges. This approach inspires action rather than apathy and disengagement.
Reimagining news for these times
If the media industry wants to regain trust and engagement, it must rethink how it delivers information. Clear, concise, and thoughtful reporting—not driven by sensationalism or silly stories and laughs—can help rebuild audiences’ trust. Media outlets should also embrace transparency, acknowledging biases and errors when they occur, and focus on stories that matter most to the public good. And then, we all need to reward and support real news outlets that don’t sell outrage, fluff or attacks.
In a time of disillusionment, journalism has the opportunity to evolve as do we as citizens . The question isn’t whether society still needs the news—it’s whether the news can deliver what society truly needs now: truth, accountability, and a deeper understanding of our world. That might just be a better solution than spending the next four years with your head down.
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