News coverage is the exposure a person, company, or event receives from various media outlets. This includes television, radio, print, and digital media. It can help shape perceptions, reputation, and awareness.
The type of news coverage a person or organization gets can impact how they feel about the story and its importance. The amount of attention a person receives can also influence their level of empathy toward the subjects of the story. This is especially true for people who identify with the subject matter of a story. For example, studies have shown that people from BIPOC communities experience more negative mental health days when there is news about anti-BIPOC violence than those who don’t.
News organizations have significant influence over what topics are considered to be “hot” and worth public concern. This is particularly true for lesser-known issues. By bringing awareness to these novel concerns, they can increase the number of people who care about them and want to do something about them. This is often referred to as the theory of perceived behavioral control (TBC).
The most common ways Americans get their news is from TV, news websites or apps, and social media. More than half of all adults get news at least sometimes in each of these ways. This is compared to just over a third of adults who get their news from search engines and fewer than a quarter who use podcasts. People ages 50 and older are more likely to use television and print publications than younger generations, who are more inclined towards social media and online news.
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