Final answer:
The 24/7 news cycle was brought about by cable television, with channels like CNN starting the trend in 1980. This has been amplified by the rise of internet availability, which has shifted news consumption heavily towards online and digital sources, especially among younger demographics as indicated by Pew Research Center data.
Step-by-step explanation:
The change that brought about the 24/7 news cycle is B. Cable television. The creation of channels such as CNN in 1980 revolutionized how news was delivered, moving away from traditional scheduled news programming to a format that offers continuous news coverage. This appetite for constant updates was further fueled by the internet availability, with digital media becoming an increasingly dominant news source. According to the Pew Research Center for People and the Press, a significant shift in how people, particularly the younger generation, get their news has occurred. There has been a marked increase in obtaining news from online and digital sources, notably through smartphones and tablets. From 2004 to 2012, the percentage of Americans who sourced their news digitally rose from 24% to 39%. This shift has had a profound impact on the consumption of print media, and radio and television news. As the democratization of news via social media and various digital platforms continues to grow, traditional news providers face the challenge of adapting to this ever-changing media landscape. The competition between these media forms is intense, and while it's unclear who will win the race, what's certain is that the ways in which we consume news have been transformed irrevocably.