Which news source do you use the most? Do you think the news is reliable? RAND researchers asked Americans these questions and more to learn about how they consume the news. The responses provide some clues about how to address “Truth Decay,” the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life.

A healthy democracy relies on information. It requires engaged citizens to arm themselves with facts and hold their government to account.

But today, the United States is embroiled in an era of what experts at the RAND Corporation call “Truth Decay.”

More and more, Americans are disagreeing about objective facts. The line between fact and opinion is blurring before their eyes. And crucially, their trust in sources that they used to turn to for objective information, including the news media, is in decline.

Jennifer Kavanagh, who leads RAND's research initiative on Truth Decay, knows that the stakes are high. “If people no longer care about the news, or they don't trust it, or if they are getting poor-quality information, it poses a fundamental threat to the health of our democracy and its ability to function,” she said.

That's why Kavanagh and her colleagues are studying the rapidly shifting media landscape. Most recently, they asked a nationally representative sample of more than 2,500 adults about their media-consumption habits. By learning more about how Americans consume the news, the researchers are beginning to identify what it might take to ensure that facts and data remain at the center of U.S. public life.

Americans' Go-To News Sources

The researchers first asked survey participants where they get their news. Americans' most common response was broadcast television, followed closely by online sources, then cable television, and social media.

Which News Source Do Americans Use the Most? Broadcast 24% Online 23% Cable 19% Social Media 16% Radio 8% Print 6% In-Person 4%

Although social media is a relatively popular news platform—especially among younger people—it doesn't appear to be replacing traditional media. Respondents who said that they relied heavily on social media likely use other news sources, too. They may also use social media as a portal to access content that appeared elsewhere, such as a video clip from a longer cable news segment, or an article from a newspaper website that made the front page of the print edition.

Overall, the responses supported the idea that people use many different news sources, and they use them in different ways. If you work 9 to 5 and have a long commute, then you might rely on radio or podcasts, because you can tune in during your drive or train ride. If you're married with children, then your schedule may mean you're less likely to read a newspaper in the morning or turn on the 6 o'clock news.

The data also show that people tend to use certain news sources together. For example, it's common for people who use print media to also watch TV news broadcasts. And people who rely on social media also tend to lean on other people, such as friends and family, as a news source.

Many Americans Are Skeptical About News Reliability

The researchers also asked Americans whether they thought the news was reliable.

Forty-four percent said they believed that the news is as reliable now as it was in the past. Nearly the same amount (41 percent) said that the news has become less reliable. Only 15 percent said that the news is more reliable now than it was in the past.

Notably, those who thought that the news is becoming more reliable were more likely to be women and people of color. The researchers think this could be partly due to increased representation in the media. It's possible that people's perceptions of news reliability are influenced by whether they see themselves reflected on the news platforms they use.

When the researchers broke down perceived reliability by platform, television sources—broadcast and cable news—came out on top.

Which News Source Do Americans Think Is the Most Reliable? Broadcast 26% Cable 20% Online 17% Print 15% Radio 10% Social Media 6% In-Person 6%

Unsurprisingly, the sources that most Americans turn to most often are also the sources they think are the most reliable. But there were exceptions. In fact, one-third of survey respondents said that they used news sources they believed were less reliable. These respondents were most likely to rely on social media and peers for news.

“We didn't expect to see this,” said RAND sociologist Michael Pollard, lead author of the study. “If people are knowingly choosing news platforms they don't think are particularly reliable, then it compounds the challenge of addressing Truth Decay.”

One-third of survey respondents said that they used news sources they believed to be less reliable. Share on Twitter

This could mean that some tried-and-true methods for helping ensure that people are getting the facts won't be effective. In other words, it may not be enough to just improve the quality of news content or teach people to be better judges of that content.

Competing demands and a general lack of time could explain why some Americans turn to news sources that they view as less reliable. This appears to be especially true among married people.

“Intense couple relationships come at the expense of other connections and activities, and they are especially demanding of women's time,” Pollard said. “It may not be realistic to take an hour to sit down and read the paper, but it's much easier to check your Twitter feed or talk to a friend on the phone.”

There may be another reason why people are using news sources that they don't think are reliable: “We have to consider that some people are looking to news platforms as a means of entertainment, such as satirical news, or celebrity gossip,” added Pollard. “If this is the case, then finding a trustworthy or reliable source doesn't necessarily matter.”

What Factors Might Affect People's News Choices and Views?

Marital status isn't the only factor that seems to affect how Americans consume the news. In fact, the survey data suggest that a variety of characteristics—age, gender, education, political beliefs—play a role in explaining people's habits.

The interactive chart below shows whether different groups of people are more or less likely to get their news from four kinds of sources—online, social media/in-person, print/broadcast, or radio—relative to people who belong to other groups. For example, people with liberal political views are more likely than conservatives to use online news sources. And a younger person is more likely than an older individual to get their news from social media or from in-person sources. (Use the dropdown to view the results for different types of new sources.)