News media statistics show 46 percent of young people get their news by
logging on to the Internet.

Many Central Michigan University faculty agree with the findings, saying the same holds true
with students at the university.

Dave London, assistant journalism professor, said Central Michigan
Life and the Internet are students’ top two sources for news because
both are convenient.

“I am impressed with students’ ability to find precisely what kind
of news they want (on the Internet),” he said. “Using computers
constantly saves time and students can get what they need.”

A 2004 study, conducted by the Online Publishers Association,
surveyed young adults between the ages of 18 and 34. Only 3 percent
surveyed said they read a newspaper and 35 percent watch television.

On the other hand, Whittemore-Prescott senior Jamie Stout said she
gets most of her news from CM Life.

“I like to know more of what’s going on around campus,” she said. “I
like that students write the articles and, being a journalism minor, I
like to hear the news.”

Stout also said she watches television for news happening outside
campus and spends about an hour a day reading or watching the news
depending on what is happening. She has been watching more recently
because of Hurricane Katrina.

Like Stout, Mendon sophomore Jarrett Cupp said he usually reads a
newspaper or whatever he can catch on television for news.

“I like CNN, they have a more liberal broadcast,” he said. “I read
my hometown newspaper when I am home and I read CM Life because it’s
convenient and free.”

Davison senior Nick Heddy reads CM Life and watches news on TV every
night. He watches ESPN for sports news and FOX News Channel for world
news.

“It’s convenient to watch FOX News; it’s always on,” Heddy said.
“They cover things until you are sick of it, but at least you know
what’s going on.”

A February 2004 study by Pew Research Center for the People and the
Press of 18-to 29-year olds found 21 percent surveyed got their
election news from comedy shows such as “The Daily Show” or “Saturday
Night Live” and 23 percent watched the nightly news.

“It (the study) doesn’t surprise me,” London said. “The shows cross
the line between news and entertainment. Students want news packaged in
a way that’s palatable to them.”

Journalism Professor John Hartman said he believes students get news
from the Internet, cable TV, CM Life and by word of mouth.

“Students don’t listen to the radio as much as they used to,” he
said. “The interest that students have to listen to the radio or read a
newspaper has declined.”

This goes along with the survey findings that only 3 percent of
those surveyed listen to the radio for news and 3 percent read
newspapers.

Hartman said with the Internet, one can get all forms of media —
audio, video, text and graphics — when 20 years ago one needed to look
in five different places for the information.

“I think students are becoming less and less informed about general
news,” he said. “They feel less like they need to be informed.”

Carleton junior Lisa Heck said she reads at least three newspapers a
day and watches ABC World News Tonight.

Hartman said he tries to motivate his students to be more informed
about the news by telling them when they go to a job interview the
outside world likes to hire people that know what’s going on.

“This makes students think ‘If it’s gonna make a difference in my
career, maybe I should start paying attention,’” he said.

London said students are no different from the older segment; they
probably get all their news from radio talk shows. They want someone to
digest the news for them, he said.

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