"Use of public television news, nightly network news, local television news, and National Public Radio has decreased, and the number of Americans who report using nightly network news programs, local TV news, local newspapers, and network newsmagazine shows reached new lows in this year's poll," said Gallup.

"Every source has fallen somewhat since 2002, with only news on the Internet gaining, from 15 percent [of readers] going there every day two years ago to 20 percent doing so today," reports Editor & Publisher, in their analysis of the Gallup survey.

"Some sources dropped heavily," notes E & P. "National newspapers are off 4 percent, from 11 to 7 percent; NPR is off 5 percent; local TV news is down 6 percent; network news down 7 percent; and PBS news plunged 8 percent. In that company, local newspapers are doing fairly well, only dropping 3 percent. Cable news dropped 2 percent."

The Gallup poll found that more than half – 51 percent – say they get news from local TV every day, 44 percent saying they get it from local newspapers. Cable news channels edged out network newscasts, 39 percent to 36 percent.

One category that was conspicuously absent from the Gallup survey: talk radio, a medium that more and more Americans, in other surveys, have said they rely on for news.

Editor's note: