# 15% of Americans paid directly for local news in the past year

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/15-of-americans-paid-directly-for-local-news-in-the-past-year/

> Indexed question in Culture.

## Reading

Just 15% of Americans say they directly paid or gave money to a local news source in the past year, whether by subscribing, donating, or becoming a member, according to a September 2025 Verasight survey.

The remaining 85% say they gave nothing to local outlets over that span.

## Topline

In the past year, have you directly paid or given money to any local news sources by subscribing, donating, or becoming a member?

15% of Americans paid directly for local news in the past year.

- No: 84.7%
- Yes: 15.3%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2025-09-22 → 2025-09-29
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.3%
- Module: Verasight APSA Omnibus Survey #2025-119
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/apsa-2025#local-news-payment-donations-in-the-past-year](https://reports.verasight.io/r/apsa-2025#local-news-payment-donations-in-the-past-year)

## Citation

Verasight APSA Omnibus Survey #2025-119, fielded September 22-29, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/apsa-2025#local-news-payment-donations-in-the-past-year](https://reports.verasight.io/r/apsa-2025#local-news-payment-donations-in-the-past-year)