Final answer:
The average American spends around 4 hours per day watching television, which is a major form of news media consumption.
There is also a notable increase in news consumption through digital sources, reflecting a shift from traditional media channels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The average American spends a significant amount of time with various forms of news media daily. One of the primary modes of engagement with news media is through television viewing, which accounts for an average of 34 hours per week.
This consumption pattern has shifted over the years, with television becoming a more interactive experience, offering viewers greater control over what they watch. Statistically, this change implies that if we assume an even distribution of television watching over seven days, an American spends approximately 4 hours per day watching television.
However, recent trends indicated by the Pew Research Center show that digital sources for news are on the rise, particularly among younger audiences. From 2004 to 2012, the share of Americans getting their news from digital sources increased from 24% to 39%.
This shift in news consumption has had a profound impact on the consumption of traditional media such as print, radio, and television news, requiring media outlets to adapt to changing viewer and reader behaviors to stay relevant and accessible in the digital age.