# How people follow and judge local news

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/how-adults-are-following-and-judging-local-news/
Published: 2026-05-11

> Featured topic in Culture.

About 33% say they watch less local news than five years ago, while 54% say they sometimes trust their local TV news networks.

## Overview: Local news habits

Local news use appears softer than five years ago, but adults are not rejecting local TV news outright.

About 33% say they watch less local news than they did five years ago, compared with 26% who say more and 31% who say the same. Local TV news trust is mostly partial: 54% say they sometimes trust their local TV news networks.

## Less local news viewing outweighs more viewing

Asked about local news compared with five years ago, 33% say they watch less.

Another 31% say they watch the same amount, 26% say they watch more, and 11% say they do not watch local news.

## Trust in local TV news is mostly conditional

About 54% say they sometimes trust their local TV news networks. Another 17% say they always trust them.

Outright distrust is smaller: 17% rarely trust local TV news and 4% never trust it.

## Google still dominates online information search

Familiarity with major news brands remains high: 87% have heard of the New York Times, 84% the Wall Street Journal, and 72% the BBC.

For online search, 76% say they used mostly Google in the past 30 days, while 6% say mostly ChatGPT and 13% say they used both about the same.

## Supporting evidence

### 33% say they watch less local news than five years ago.

Question: Thinking about local news, are you watching more, less or the same amount as you did 5 years ago?

Note: Anchors the topic in changed local news viewing habits.

Topline:

- Less: 32.5%
- Same: 30.8%
- More: 25.7%
- Don't watch local news: 11.1%

### 54% say they sometimes trust local TV news networks.

Question: How often do you trust your local TV news networks?

Note: Adds the trust measure for local TV news.

Topline:

- I sometimes trust them: 53.7%
- I always trust them: 17.0%
- I rarely trust them: 16.9%
- I don't watch local TV news: 8.7%
- I never trust them: 3.6%

### 76% say they used mostly Google to search for information online.

Question: In the past 30 days, which tool have you used more often to search for information online?

Note: Adds an information-search context where Google remains far ahead of ChatGPT.

Topline:

- Mostly Google Search: 75.5%
- I have used Google search and ChatGPT about the same: 13.4%
- Mostly ChatGPT: 5.8%
- I haven’t used either: 5.3%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: United States adults
- Field dates: 2025-08-01 → 2025-08-06
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.2%
- Module: A
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [Thinking about local news, are you watching more, less or the same amount as you did 5 years ago?](https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co#local-news-viewing-habits): verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co: Anchors the topic in changed local news viewing habits.
- [How often do you trust your local TV news networks?](https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co#trust-in-local-tv-news): verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co: Adds the trust measure for local TV news.
- [Which of the following news media outlets, if any, have you heard of?](https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co#familiarity-with-news-media-outlets): verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co: Adds broader news-brand familiarity for national and international outlets.
- [In the past 30 days, which tool have you used more often to search for information online?](https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co#preferred-online-information-search-tool): verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co: Adds an information-search context where Google remains far ahead of ChatGPT.

## Citation

Verasight Quirks Omnibus Survey, fielded August 1-6, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.2%.

Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co#local-news-viewing-habits](https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co#local-news-viewing-habits)