How Americans Are Getting News and Information in the 21st Century

Nearly a decade into the 21st century, public affairs officers are grappling with the new frontier of the digital media age, where information options are overwhelming in both speed and volume, but often underwhelming in content. The purpose of this research paper is to identify how Americans are getting news and information to help public affairs specialists better package information for release to the public in this digital age. If public affairs officials are to be successful, they must first understand the basic roots of information extraction - from where does the audience retrieve its information, whether the American public, Congress, or even potential military recruits. Reporters and editors in traditional media--newspapers, magazines, television and radio--still occupy a large part of their work day, but harried public affairs specialists must also contend with digital pioneers of the internet and the web, to include on-line journalists, bloggers, tweeters, YouTube, Facebook, and anyone else with an opinion and access to a computer.