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With Election Day being tomorrow, many Americans are feeling exhausted by American politics. Perhaps as a result, fewer are following politics today compared to the 2020 election. As the final campaign push intensifies, the question arises: how are Americans feeling about news coverage today? CivicScience regularly tracks news consumption and the levels of ‘news fatigue’ that consumers experience. Here’s what the latest data reveal:
Nearly 7-in-10 are tired of the election news coverage they’ve been seeing.
CivicScience polling found that 69% of those who follow election news are feeling ‘tired’ of the updates they’ve been seeing. Meanwhile, 19% are content with the current level of election reporting, and just 11% wish there was more coverage. Differences exist among political lines, though, with Democrats most satisfied with election coverage while independents and Republicans are more likely to feel ‘tired’ of it. However, regardless of political affiliation, the majority are feeling election news fatigue.
Answer our Poll: Do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of news about the election and politics?
Data show that women, Baby Boomers aged 55+, parents, households with an expected annual income over $100K, and online news readers (particularly those who turn to national news websites first for breaking news) are the most tired of election news coverage. Notably, election news fatigue increases with age, with less than half of Gen Z adults reporting experiencing it (48%), and 24% who want to see more coverage. This could relate to generational differences in how Americans receive news.
Those who are content with the amount of election coverage they’ve been seeing are more likely to report stronger positive feelings – excitement and happiness – whereas those news-fatigued are less likely to report positive emotions. However, people who feel news fatigued aren’t any more likely to feel strong negative emotions, which could be a reflection of generational differences, as those 55+ are more likely to report higher well-being in general.
At the same time, Americans are feeling tired of news coverage on all current events in general.
CivicScience data show that the percentage feeling ‘tired’ of news coverage of current events in general has increased by a whopping 13 percentage points over the last two years. Currently, among those who follow the news, 50% are ‘tired’ of all news coverage they’ve been seeing, up from 37% in 2022. Whereas, far fewer say they like the amount of coverage they see or want more. The current election cycle, ongoing global conflicts, and recent natural disasters could all be driving this increase in news fatigue.
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As Americans head to the polls tomorrow, it’s clear that many are feeling worn down by politics and election news, and it’s likely having an impact on their well-being. This fatigue extends beyond election news, with an increasing number of Americans feeling similarly about news in general. While some remain satisfied with the amount of information they’re receiving and a small portion still wants more, the overall trend underscores news fatigue as a key factor in Americans’ relationship with media today.
