Ignoring the News is Now a Thing

Amid a flood of non-stop information, a growing number of Americans are choosing to tune out, posing a significant challenge for local TV newscasts that have long been a staple in people's homes.

The Rise of News Avoidance

A recent global survey by the Reuters Institute found that news avoidance is at a record high. In the U.S., 42% of people now say they sometimes or often avoid the news, a sharp increase from 29% in 2017. The primary reasons cited are the negative impact on their mood and feeling worn out by the sheer volume of information, much of it focused on conflict and tragedy.

This trend is driven by a desire to protect mental well-being. "Now that I don’t watch the news, I just don’t have that anxiety. I don’t have dread," said Mardette Burr, an Arizona retiree who stopped watching the news eight years ago. She recalled being up at all hours, upset about global events beyond her control.

The Mental Health Toll

Experts confirm this connection. Roxane Cohen Silver, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, has studied the consequences of media consumption for decades. Her research shows a direct link between repeated exposure to distressing news—a hallmark of many local broadcasts covering crime and accidents—and increased anxiety, depression, and stress.

"With greater exposure, we see greater distress," Silver said. The problem is amplified by the 24/7 nature of news delivery through smartphones and social media, which creates "ample opportunity to be exposed to news all the time."

A Widening Divide

While limiting news intake can be healthy, experts worry about those who disengage completely. Benjamin Toff, director of the Minnesota Journalism Center, notes that consistent news avoidance is more common among young people, women, and those with lower incomes.

This creates a cycle where the less people engage with news, the harder it becomes to understand key issues, potentially leaving certain groups less likely to participate in political life. "The more you disengage... the harder it becomes to try to make sense of what’s happening," Toff explained. For local TV news, this growing disconnect represents a fundamental threat to its role as a primary source of community information.