Media Usage Among Voters During Coronavirus

TVB (www.tvb.org), the not-for-profit organization representing the local broadcast TV industry, today released an analysis of registered voters from a national COVID-19 study, conducted by Dynata. The analysis reveals voters’ media preferences, as well as their plans to vote early, by email or in-person, which differ by political affiliation, geography, and ethnicity.

Hadassa Gerber, TVB’s Chief Research Officer, stated, “In an unusual voting year, where most voters plan to vote early, television is key. This study shows that television reaches 86% of registered voters, which is much more powerful than radio (60%), and social media (55%). In addition, in an environment of unrest and skepticism, voters continue to place the most trust in their local TV broadcast station news (80%) versus other sources like cable TV (67%) and social media (39%).”

Other highlights from the TVB/Dynata Coronavirus Media Usage Study Update:

• Among all news sources, local broadcast TV is the most trusted (80%) with registered voters. This trust also extends to the digital sphere, where the websites & apps of local broadcast TV stations (71%) are the most trusted news sources. Social media (39%) was the least trusted news source.
• Registered voters also feel that broadcast TV news (61%) gives them the best information and updates on the COVID-19 pandemic. Cable TV news (26%) was a distant #2 and social media (12%) a distant #3.
• In the upcoming general election, only 41% of registered voters plan to vote in person on November 3rd, 34% plan to vote by mail, 16% plan to vote both in person and early (before November 3) and 8% plan to drop off a ballot at a box or location.
• More Democratic registered voters plan to vote by mail compared with Republicans and Independents. More Republicans plan to vote in person on November 3rd compared with Democrats and Independents.
• More rural registered voters plan to vote in person on November 3rd than those living in urban & suburban areas. Just over a third of adults in urban & suburban areas plan to vote by mail.
• Just as many Hispanic registered voters (38%) plan to vote in person on November 3rd as plan to vote by mail.
• While 40% of African American registered voters plan to vote in person on November 3rd, 33% plan to vote by mail.

The Coronavirus Media Usage study update was conducted nationally by Dynata September 17-24, 2020.

For more information on visit: https://www.tvb.org/Public/Political/CoronavirusMediaUsageamongVoters.aspx

About TVB

TVB is the not-for-profit trade association representing America’s local broadcast television industry. For more information, visit www.tvb.org.

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