what’s new
A poll conducted in early December found that a majority of Americans are taking a step back from politics after the presidential election.
why is it important
The survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found that about two-thirds of American adults say they have recently felt the need to limit their media consumption regarding politics and government.
The poll was conducted Dec. 5-9 among 1,251 adults using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeaks panel. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
What you need to know
About 7 in 10 Democrats say they have recently withdrawn from political news.
This percentage is not as high as the Republican Party, but in the Republican Party, President-elect Donald Trump won the presidential election on January 20th and is about to take office on January 20th. Still, 6 in 10 Republicans say they feel the need to take some time off from politics. The same goes for Sphere and Independents, according to the Associated Press.
The study also found that people are more likely to disapprove of what celebrities, big businesses and professional athletes say about politics after election season. This comes after many high-profile organizations and celebrities, such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, shared their thoughts throughout the election period.
For television networks, the numbers on who was watching and who is currently watching can be even more stark. Since Trump was re-elected with 312 electoral votes, there has been a shift that the Washington Post describes as a “turn off the news” movement, with people demanding push notifications, TV news, and even podcast information. It’s gone.
Cross-media measurement provider Nielsen told The Associated Press that MSNBC averaged 620,000 prime-time viewers from election night to Dec. 13. This is a 54% decrease from the number of viewers the news organization knew before the election. this year. The Associated Press reported that MSNBC experienced similar ratings problems after Trump’s 2016 presidential victory.
However, MSNBC’s viewership recovered after the Trump administration took office in 2016.
CNN’s average has also fallen since Election Day, to 45 percent. However, the Associated Press reported that CNN’s streaming and digital viewership ratings have been consistent.
In contrast, the more Republican-leaning Fox News Channel has seen an increase in viewership, averaging 2.68 million viewers since the election. This is a 13% increase compared to before the election.
After the election, the Associated Press reported that 72% of people who watch MSNBC, CNN or FOX News in the evening chose FOX, compared to 53% before Election Day.
But New York Times opinion columnist Charles Blow said in an article last week that people “absolutely” shouldn’t feel guilty for turning off their news recently.
“First, taking the time to lick your wounds will help them heal faster,” Blow writes. “Secondly, outrageous acts are expensive. We consume huge amounts of fuel, which must be replenished at some point. They do so by being authentically present and being clear about their purpose.” ”
The Associated Press investigation found that some people want news outlets like MSNBC to expand their audience to talk about political issues rather than celebrities like Trump. They want deeper storytelling, not one-sided opinions.
people’s opinions
“People are mentally exhausted. We all know what’s going to happen and we’re just resting,” San Diego resident Ziad Aunala told The Associated Press.
Brandon Wilson, a professor at the University of California, told the Washington Post:
“I may have been overinformed going into this election, so I just need to take a step back now,” Maryland’s Andrew DelPonte told the Washington Post. What you think you can do is what will help you now.”
Sam Goode, a Lincoln, Nebraska, resident, told The Associated Press that “we definitely shouldn’t be looking at the interregnum right now.”
what’s next
Although many politicians are on “vacation” until the end of the year, the new Congress begins on January 3rd, and President Trump will be inaugurated on January 20th.