Seven in 10 U.S. Adults Say They Watch Broadcast News

at Least Several Times a Week

Two in Five Adults Say They Listen to Satellite Radio Programming or Read a

National Newspaper as Often

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- While there seems to be more
outlets than ever for U.S. adults to get news, a new Harris Poll shows
that majorities choose to get their news most frequently from
broadcast mediums. Specifically, three-quarters (77%) of adults say
they watch local broadcast news, and 71 percent say they watch network
broadcast or cable news several times a week or daily. On the other
hand, one in five (19%) U.S. adults say they listen to satellite news
programming or read a national newspaper (18%) several times a week or
daily.

These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 2,985 U.S. adults
surveyed online between January 12 and 17, 2006 by Harris
Interactive(R).

While broadcast television news appears to be the most popular medium
sought, many adults also get their news several times a week or daily
by going online to get news (64%), reading a local daily newspaper
(63%), listening to radio news broadcasts (54%), listening to talk
radio stations (37%), listening to satellite news programming (19%),
and reading a national newspaper (18%).

A key indicator of media usage is age. Specifically:

* Matures (those 59 years of age and older) are most likely to rely on

more traditional media outlets for information, with at least eight in

10 Matures saying they watch local broadcast news (88%), watch network

broadcast or cable news (88%), or read a local daily newspaper (80%)

several times a week or daily.

* Baby boomers (those 40 to 58 years of age) use the most varied types of

media, with at least one in five boomers using each medium examined

several times a week or daily. Along with Matures, Baby Boomers are most

likely to watch both local and broadcast or cable television newscasts

(83% and 74%, respectively), read local daily newspapers (66%), and

listen to radio newscasts (64%) and talk radio (40%). Boomers and Gen

Xers (those 28 to 39 years of age) are most likely to go online for news

(68% and 70%, respectively).

* Generation Xers are most likely to get their news several times a week

or daily from local broadcast stations (69%) or online sources (68%).

* Echo boomers (those 18 to 27 years of age) are the least frequent users

of media, with only about half or less getting information several times

a week or daily from each of the media types measured.

TABLE 1

MEDIA USAGE

"How often do you do any of the following?"

Base: All Adults

Daily/ Daily Several Several Several Several Never

Several times a times a times a times a

times week month/ month year

a week year

(NET) (NET)

Watch local

broadcast news % 77 54 22 17 10 7 6

Watch network

broadcast or

cable news % 71 49 22 21 13 9 8

Read a local

daily newspaper% 63 41 22 28 16 12 9

Go online to

get news % 64 40 24 26 15 11 11

Listen to radio

news broadcasts% 54 32 21 26 13 13 20

Listen to talk

radio stations % 37 22 15 30 12 17 34

Read a national

newspaper (The

Wall Street

Journal, USA

Today, The

New York Times,

etc.) % 18 10 8 40 14 27 41

Listen to

satellite

radio

programming % 19 12 7 13 6 7 68

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 2

MEDIA USAGE - BY AGE

"How often do you do any of the following?"

Percent saying they use particular medium "daily" or "several times a week"

Base: All Adults

Echo Baby

Boomers Gen X Boomers Matures

(age 18-27) (age 28-39) (age 40-58) (age 59+)

% % % %

Watch local broadcast news 52 69 83 88

Watch network broadcast

or cable news 51 57 74 88

Read a local daily newspaper 43 49 66 80

Go online to get news 53 68 70 57

Listen to radio news

broadcasts 26 49 64 58

Listen to talk radio stations 24 35 40 41

Read a national newspaper

(The Wall Street Journal,

USA Today, The New York

Times, etc.) 15 23 19 17

Listen to satellite radio

programming 21 23 19 16

Methodology

The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States
between January 12 and 17, 2006 among 2,985 adults (aged 18 and over).
Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income
were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their
actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was
also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with
95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of
plus or minus 2 percentage points of what they would be if the entire
U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Sampling
error for the sub- samples of Echo Boomers (310), Generation Xers
(441), Baby Boomers (1,165) and Matures (1,069) is higher and varies.
Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in
all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical
calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be
interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and
weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result
from these factors. This online sample was not a probability sample.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the
National Council on Public Polls.

W26567

Q946

About Harris Interactive(R)

Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com), based in
Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing
market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris
Poll(R) and for its pioneering leadership in the online market
research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering
insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends
the science of innovative research with the art of strategic
consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring
value.

Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States,
Europe (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe) and Asia offices, its
wholly- owned subsidiary Novatris in Paris, France
(http://www.novatris.com), and through an independent global network
of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to
participate in future online surveys, go to
http://www.harrispollonline.com.

Press Contact:

Jennifer Cummings

Harris Interactive

585-214-7720

Harris Interactive Inc. 02/06

The Harris Poll(R) #20, February 24, 2006

By Bill Dalbec, vice president, Public Affairs Research Practice,
Harris Interactive(R) SOURCE Harris Interactive