According to an article written by Strategy Eye, the internet has now surpassed newspapers and radio to become the second most popular medium for accessing news in the US, behind only TV, according to a new report by the Pew Research Centre. The rise of the social web is a key driver for this online growth, with 75% of online news consumers saying they get news forwarded to them through email or on social networking sites.

The other findings are:

• Some 65% of US respondents say they do not have a favourite news source
• 51% of people who access news online and use sites like Facebook say they prefer to get news items from people they follow.
• Roughly the same percentage of online news consumers say they use social media and email to share links with others.

"The advent of social media, like social networking sites and blogs, has helped the news become a social experience in fresh ways for consumers," claims the report. "People use their social networks and social networking technology to filter, assess and react to news."

On newspapers and paywall it finds:

• The stats show that newspapers risk losing readers if they erect paywalls: many users would simply find other news sources.
• However, a 'metered' form of paywall could work. (such as allow casual readers to access individual articles through search sites such as Google, Yahoo! and Bing without charge) and let heavier readers  pay.

Other number:

• 57% of online news consumers routinely rely on just two to five websites for their news
• 21% regularly rely on just one site.
• Only 11% say they get their news from more than five websites.
• 28% of internet users have customised their home page to include news from sources and on topics that particularly interest them
• 33% of mobile phone owners now access news on the go.

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