A survey released September 24 found that 10% of U.S. respondents ages 18–24 watched local television news during the preceding week, compared with 64% of adults 65 and older.
Ring Digital surveyed 1,376 adults and weighted the results by age and gender. Big Blue Marble, a cloud and streaming provider, sponsored the research.
The findings also describe substantial mobile news-video consumption. Among mobile news-video viewers surveyed, Facebook and YouTube Shorts each reached 46%, TikTok 37% and Instagram Reels 33%. Those figures describe use of platforms, not exclusive audiences or shares of total viewing.
For local stations, the practical question is whether their reporting reaches younger residents where they already watch. Short mobile segments may extend discovery, but stations still need attribution, corrections and a path back to fuller coverage.
The study does not establish that young adults have abandoned local information altogether. Its commercial sponsorship and the need for detailed field dates, questionnaire wording and subgroup sample sizes warrant caution before generalizing.
Source: Radio & Television Business Report, September 24, 2026.