However, those dominating media all lose ground due to the emergence of new sources. Online news, which had a usage rate of almost nothing in 1996, was consumed by more than 30 percent of the U.S. population on a regular basis in 2006. Cable TV news and network morning news also accounted for more than 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Local TV news, though still the number one source where Americans get news, saw its usage drop to only 57 percent, according to the Pew study. Newspapers and radio were also in decline, to 40 and 36 percent in 2006, respectively.