2005 Annual Report - Online Audience

Online news consumption estimates are based on survey research. To arrive at them, most polling firms first determine the number of people going online for any activity. Then they ask that online population about its consumption of news in particular.

How many Americans were online for any reason in 2004? The answer varies depending on the source, but between 63% and 76% of Americans reported "ever" going online.2 That range generally appears to have stabilized since 2003.3

Percentage of Population Ever Going Online

1995-2004

Design Your Own Chart

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, ’’Pew Research Biennial News Consumption Survey,’’ June 8, 2004

qu: Do you ever go online to access the Internet or World Wide Web or to send and receive email?

The more meaningful number may be how many people go online regularly - many surveys ask about going online yesterday. Here the number appears to be closer to half of all Americans - 47%, according to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and 53% according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.⁴

Percentage of Population Going Online "Yesterday’’

Design Your Own Chart

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, ’’Pew Research Biennial News Consumption Survey,’’ June 8, 2004

qu: As I read from a list tell me if you did this yesterday or not. Yesterday did you go online from home? Go online from work?