Analysis: With sagging approval ratings what will passage of health care bill mean for Obama?

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So long as the topic of health care continues to dominate the headlines President Obama will likely find his job approval rating in intensive care.

Sunday’s crucial House vote on the current sweeping legislation will come at a time when the President’s popularity is at a new low according to certain polls. After hovering around the 50% plateau for several months Obama has suddenly fallen below the threshold. Real Clear Politics which combines the averages of several recent surveys shows the President’s approval, for the first time, dropping in the negatives.

Rasmussen Reports which has provided the White House with particularly bearish ratings for many months now currently pegs Obama’s popularity at just 45% with 55% disapproving of his performance. Fox News also has the President in the negatives to the tune of a 46-48% margin. While he is still on the plus side in polls from Pew Research and NBC News/Wall Street Journal, both publications show his job approval at under 50%. Only an Associated Press survey conducted earlier this month provides the President with some measure of good news positing him with a 53-46% approval to disapproval rating.

Perhaps the most notable new release comes from Gallup. As of yesterday the highly regarded organization places Obama’s numbers in the negatives for the first time. 46% of American adults now approve of the President’s job performance against 48% who disapprove. Factoring in these results with the other aforementioned polls, a combination of adults, registered voters and likely voter samples, the average for Obama is a meager 47.3% approval rating against 47.8% who disapprove.

It seems clear that the health care issue is the main culprit in President Obama’s sagging popularity. The latest Rasmussen polling indicates a sizeable majority of American voters lining up against the Democratic reform measures. 53% are opposed to the new legislation with 43% in favor of its passage. Fox News echoes those findings but measures even stronger cries of opposition coming from the public. According to their most recent findings just 35% favor the current legislation against 55% who are opposed. While a marginal improvement from January President Obama’s handling of the health care issue receives largely negative marks adults surveyed by NBC News. 41% approve of his handling of the issue and 57% disapprove. Ditto those findings from the most recent Pew poll that show the President at a 39-52% approval to disapproval margin on the subject.

Gallup chose to breakdown the opinions of Americans based on separate categories. The most positive area for Obama comes with the 59-22% margin of the public who feel that those currently without health insurance coverage will be better served under the new bill against those who believe they will be worse off. Lower income families in general are also perceived to be in better shape as a result of health care reform by a margin of 56-29%. Beyond that all other categories get a decidedly negative response from the American public. This includes the country as a whole that will be worse off in the opinion of 44% and better off by just 39% of responders. Pharmaceutical companies (41-34%), middle-income families (44-34%), hospitals (42-33%), doctors (45-29%), you and your family (37-28%), health insurances companies (51-26%), and upper-income families (33-22%) follow suit.

President Obama has been quoted as suggesting the life of his Presidency hinges on the success or failure of the health care reform bill. In spite of a recent injection of adrenaline from a couple of high ranking Democratic congressman and the blessing of a group of catholic nuns, it seems most Americans have both made up their mind on health care and will continue to give Obama low marks as long as it remains the top issue he focuses on. The President probably faces one of three scenarios in the event he receives a legislative victory for passage of the bill through Congress;

1) Despite the unpopularity of the bill and Obama’s sagging approval with the American public passage will finally get the topic off the table, at least temporarily. The President will then be able to focus on other priorities and perhaps craft a more populist message on issues that will help him rebound in the polls as we draw ever close to the midterm elections. With the notoriously short attention span of the American public simply switching gears is often a perfect remedy for an ailing Presidency.

2) Yes a majority of Americans disagree with the President sweeping health care legislation but there are potential gains to be made if the bill is passed on two fronts. First it will energize Democrats, most of whom are already strongly supportive of reform. Secondly, for the millions of wavering moderates and independents passage will at least show some measure of strong leadership on the part of the President. While many will continue to disagree with Obama on the issue itself, a Commander in Chief who is viewed as strong and decisive even in the face of scrutiny is someone who generally gains grudging respect from an American public always supportive of strong leadership.

3) Passage will be the final nail in the coffin for Obama and Democrats, at least for the rest of 2010 and perhaps up through 2012 as well. Without the passage of health care reform Obama still has something of a “get out of jail free” card to play. Ramming through the current legislation however will convince conservatives that the President’s character and liberal agenda must be attacked mercilessly. The formation of an even stronger movement than that of the “Tea Party” will come about rallying around smaller government issues and fiscal responsibility. Republicans in Congress meanwhile, with the prospects of already larger numbers come 2011, will unify against Obama and the Democrats derailing most of the President’s legislation from now until the end of his first-term.

PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS / Martinez Monsivais

Poll: Toomey still leads in Pennsylvania Senate race with Specter ahead of Sestak

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No major shakeups in the race for Arlen Specter’s Senate seat in Pennsylvania. The latest round of surveys from Rasmussen Reports indicate Republican Pat Toomey holding a solid lead over Specter and a modest advantage over Joe Sestak all the while Specter continues to lead his challenger for the upcoming Democratic Primary.

Toomey’s 49-40% lead over Arlen Specter is identical to last month’s Rasmussen poll that also showed a nine-point advantage. Since then both candidates have picked up a couple of points in support from previously undecided voters but with Toomey’s steady lead, a shrinking number of uncommitted voters to attract and an election calendar growing shorter by the day the news has to be welcoming to the Republican challenger.

Upstart congressman Joe Sestak runs better against Toomey for a second-straight month but continues to trail Specter in their upcoming May 18th primary for the Democratic nomination. Toomey is in front of Sestak 42-37% and a considerable number of Pennsylvania voters (15%) remain undecided on either candidate. Unfortunately for Sestak he hasn’t been able to take a sizeable chunk out of the longtime Senator Specter’s lead within the party although his deficit of eleven-percentage points is slightly smaller than the 13% hole he was in last month.

Most view the race for Senate in Pennsylvania as a referendum on Arlen Specter’s personal popularity, or lack thereof, following a party switch last year and his continued support for President Obama’s controversial health care plan. Specter is viewed very unfavorably by far more voters (34%) than the number who view him very favorably (14%). Meanwhile support for the President’s health care plan is modestly lower in the Keystone State than it is nationally. 41% in Pennsylvania favor the plan but 58% are opposed. The latest Rasmussen tracking on the topic nationally shows Americans divided by a margin of 43-53%.

Joe Sestak earns the strong support of one in ten Pennsylvania voters (10%) and is strongly rejected by 11%. Pat Toomey not surprisingly is the most popular of all candidates with a 17% very favorable and an 11% very unfavorable rating.

While viewed as battleground state for many elections both locally and nationally Pennsylvania appears to have moved to the political left in recent years. A Republican presidential candidate has not carried the state since 1988 and recent congressional and gubernatorial elections have favored Democratic candidates considerably. Barack Obama won Pennsylvania by 10.5% over John McCain in 2008 and an Ed Rendell captured reelection for Governor by nearly twenty-points over Republican Lynn Swann in 2006. That said the President’s job approval, mirroring national totals, is 48% among voters in the Keystone State with 51% disapproving. Governor Rendell meanwhile is also modestly unpopular to the tune of a 47-52% approval to disapproval rating.

PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS / CAROLYN KASTER

Poll: Even city governments do not have the right to ban guns according to most Americans

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Philadelphia ranks seventh amongst U.S. cities in violent crimes and eleventh in murder rate. Many residents point to an excess of firearms as playing a major role in the criminal activity and general dangers of living within the borders of the nation’s sixth largest city. Yet when it comes to gun control the latest sentiments from adults across America are that city governments do not have the right to ban handguns.

69% of American adults say cities do not have the right to prohibit their citizens from owning handguns. Just 25% believe city governments do have that right.

This recent survey compliments of Rasmussen Reports has been conducted during the midst of a Supreme Court case and decision as to whether the city of Chicago has the right to ban handguns. The Windy City’s murder rate ranks fifteenth in the country but the chances that the law will be upheld by the nation’s highest court might be slim. In June of 2008 the Supreme Court overturned a similar law in Washington D.C. that banned handguns. The ruling came in spite of the city’s long standing notoriety as one as the most violent in the country. In 2008 Washington ranked fifth in murder and sixth in robbery rate.

Americans are united behind their support for the rights guaranteed by the constitution in the second amendment across virtually all demographic lines. Seven in ten believe the constitution grants the average American citizen the right to own a gun. Just 14% do not believe in the constitutionality of that right with another 16% remaining uncertain. Clear majorities of U.S. citizens in groupings divided by age, gender, race and political affiliation support the basic freedom to own firearms.

One area where Americans are divided is on the topic of stricter gun laws. 49% believe current laws are about right but a sizable number of citizens (42%) say tougher anti-gun laws are needed to combat crime. Women and younger adults are more likely to support stricter gun laws then men and those over the age of thirty. By political party 65% of Democrats favor a stronger clamp down. Correspondingly 65% of Republicans disagree with a majority of unaffiliated voters (52%) also taking a more hands-off approach to the issue.

Americans are also closely divided in terms of gun ownership. 44% claim either they or someone in their home owns a gun against 48% say there are no guns where they live. With gun sales on the rise in recent years 57% of adults claim a fear of increased government restriction, perhaps coinciding with Democratic President Barack Obama entering office, as the primary reason for the increase. 23% meanwhile claim it was in response to the fear of increasing crime rates.

Those crime rates continue to grip many of the nation’s largest cities. Below are the ten highest ranked American cities with at least 250,000 residents in four different crime categories;

Total Violent Crime: 1) St. Louis, 2) Oakland, 3) Memphis, 4) Detroit, 5) Baltimore, 6) Stockton, 7) Philadelphia, 8) Cleveland, 9) Nashville, 10) Atlanta

Murder-Rate: 1) New Orleans, 2) St. Louis, 3) Baltimore, 4) Detroit, 5) Washington, DC, 6) Oakland, 7) Kansas City, 8) Newark, 9) Cleveland, 10) Pittsburgh, *11) Philadelphia

Robbery-Rate: 1) Cleveland, 2) Oakland, 3) St. Louis, 4) Cincinnati, 5) Memphis, 6) Washington, DC, 7) Detroit, 8) Philadelphia, 9) Baltimore, 10) Atlanta

Forcible Rape: 1) Cleveland, 2) Minneapolis, 3) Anchorage, 4) Colorado Springs, 5) Oakland, 6) Columbus, 7) Cincinnati, 8) Wichita, 9) Philadelphia, 10) Albuquerque

Camden, New Jersey and Wilmington, Delaware rank first and second in total violent crime for cities with populations between 60,000 and 100,000. They also rank first and second in the number of robberies, first and fourth in murders and Camden ranks tenth in rapes. The city of Chester meanwhile fell under 40,000 in population over a decade ago. If it did still exceed that total and could qualify among cities in the 40,000 to 60,000 population category however Chester would rank first in murder-rate, second in violent crimes and fourth in robberies.

PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS / Haraz N. Ghanbari

Poll: Americans increasingly polarized over abortion issue, public views stay consistent overall

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Americans rarely need a reason or context to get fired up on either side of the abortion debate. The ongoing saga of health care reform however has sparked controversy on the topic yet again and the passage or defeat of the current bill may hinge over the battle of abortion funding.

Gallup decided to take a look at current trends in public opinion on the abortion issue along political and ideological lines. What they have found, to the surprise of few, are increasingly polarized views on the topic between Democrats and Republicans. The study dates back to 1975 just two-years after the landmark Supreme Court decision in the Roe v. Wade case gave constitutional protection to women receiving the abortion procedure.

Support has fluctuated somewhat over the years but recent trends indicate a widening gap between Democrats and Republicans. Three general views being held by the American public can be categorized by those who believe that abortion ought to be legal under “any” circumstance, only in “certain” circumstances, or made illegal in “all” cases.

The "legal under any circumstance" category shows a modest decline in support from Democrats, Republicans and independents alike in recent years. In what may come as a surprise support for legislative protection in all instances was similar between the three political groups over the first two decades. Starting 35-years ago independents (24%) were the most favorable group followed by a virtually even number of Democrats (19%) and Republicans (18%). By 1988 those figures had narrowed to a quarter of independents (25%) and 23% of both of Democrats and Republicans. Two spikes in the early and mid-90s showed independents reaching as high as 37% in favor of abortion protection under any circumstance. Democrats (36%) had risen to nearly equal levels as well but Republican support, after peaking at 34% in 1990, began a steady decline that continues to this day.

As of 2007 Democrats had reached their highest level of support on record (38%), but independents had fallen to 26% and Republicans (13%) had dropped sharply over the previous decade and a half. For 2009 Gallup measures Democratic support for unrestricted abortion at 31%, independent support at 20% and Republicans at record lows of just 12%.

Most Americans continue to take a middle of the road stance on abortion although the description of what that middle of the road entails likely differs between parties. Clearly there is some is vague wording in response to the question of whether an individual supports the right to abortion under “certain” circumstances. For the more conservative, for instance, this might mean illegal in all cases except for rape, incest or the event that having a child puts the mother’s life at risk. For left-leaning Americans however it could allude to a broader acceptance. Perhaps allowing abortion for all adults but forcing minors to seek parental consent or cutting off the legality of the abortion procedure after the second trimester best describes their view.

Still even without a clear definition a closer look at Republican support and opposition to abortion at all three levels points to a dramatic shifts of recent decades. Those preferring abortion to be legal in certain instances is similar today (54%) as it was in 1975 (55%). There has been a bit of a decline tracked by Gallup in that grouping since it peaked at around 65% in 2004 however. As previously mentioned the number of Republicans in favor of allowing abortion under all circumstances is currently at an historic low. Just 12% fit into this category and that is a significant decline in acceptance since the party’s 1990 peak of 29%. Coinciding with this is a measurable increase in the number of GOP affiliates who want the procedure to be illegal in all instances. In 1975 that figure hovered at a modest 25% but by 1992 it had dropped to 13%. Today a record high one-third (33%) of Republicans want abortion outlawed.

Similar totals of Democrats have subscribed to the same view held by Republicans through the years that abortion ought to be legal at least in certain circumstances. Starting at 51% in 1975 that total reached its peak at nearly 60% in the mid to late-90s. Today it hovers at 53%, a slight up tick from its average over the last decade. Those Democrats believing abortion should be legal in all cases started off at nearly equal levels (19%) to those holding that view in the Republican Party (18%). A major increase in that figure occurred over the late-80s and early-90s climbing to around 37% by the middle of the decade. After a sudden drop in the late-90s Democratic support inched upward once again, peaking at 38% as of 2007 before a recent decline has placed it at 31% currently.

Twenty-six percent of Democrats believed abortion should be illegal in all circumstances back in 1975. That total was actually a single percentage-point higher than the number of Republicans claiming the same opinion. The total nevertheless declined steadily over the next two decades, bottoming out at just 9% in 1996. Since that time opposition to the procedure has rebounded somewhat and currently rests at 12%.

As for independents the number of those believing abortion should be illegal has remained fairly steady whereas the number of those favoring its legality in all circumstances has declined in recent decades. The figures have bounced around meanwhile when measuring the number of independents who would prefer the procedure to be legal in certain circumstances.

At 17% the same number of independents favored the outlawing of abortion three and a half decades ago as do now. The numbers in that category have remained steady through the years dropping to a low of 10% in 1990 and peaking at 20% in 2002. In the mid-70s around 55% of independents held the view that abortion ought to be legal in certain circumstances. On two separate occasions in the late-80s and again in the late-90s that figured peaked at around 60%. The lowest total was tracked at 46% in 1995 but the figures have held fairly steady in the 2000s and currently rest at 57%. The least consistent category includes the number of independents who want abortion legal in all instances. Nearly one-quarter (24%) started off with that view in 1975 and it ballooned to 37% in 1990 and again five years later. Peaks and valleys would ensue over the next decade and a half but a recent decline has placed the current total at a record low of 20%.

Overall views on abortion remain impressively stable through the years. Thirty-five years ago 53% of the American public held the dominant position that abortion should be legal under certain circumstances. Today that figure rests at a nearly identical 55%. In 1975 some 23% favored laws that would make abortion illegal in all instances whereas 21% wanted it allowed under any circumstance. As of 2009 those figures hover at 20% and 21% respectively. The only noticeable shakeup in public opinion seemed to have occured over the late-80s to mid-90s. Those favoring the legality of abortion in all instances jumped to around one-third the total population and by 1990 a record low of just 11% of the public wanted the procedure to be made illegal. The levels of full and tentative support and opposition have resettled in the years since however.

While the broader picture shows impressive consistency, measuring trends between political parties is less so. The view of most Democrats on the abortion subject has become more liberalized since the start of the 90s whereas Republicans have predictably become more conservative on the issue. More Republicans, according to Gallup, have held the belief that abortion should be illegal than broadly legal since the late-90s. Today there is a 21% gap between the two, a rather staggering shift from the fourteen-point gap favoring the full legality of abortion in 1990. Conversely Democrats have consistently been far more in favor of making abortion legal than illegal in all instances since the start of the 90s. As of 2009 the gap stands at 19%. This is a far cry from the 26-19% margin in favor of those Democrats wanting abortion illegal back in 1975.

Analysis: Even odds on "Obamacare" getting through Congress?

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Intrade is giving even odds to the passage of the latest version of President Obama’s health care plan. Public opposition meanwhile remains steady and consistent through the partisan storm.

The latest market data from Intrade points to a significant shift in the right direction for “Obamacare” in recent days. After bottoming out at 33% in January following Scott Brown’s victory in the Massachusetts special-election for Senate confidence has rebounded up to 52%. But do these improving market odds, particularly when stacked up next to the consistent opposition of the American public, really point to an improved likelihood of passage for the embattled health care reform bill? Nate Silver of fivethirtyeight.com investigates.

Silver looks at a number of factors contributing to the supposed momentum of the bill since Brown’s stunning victory temporarily derailed hopes of passage in late-January. He then highlights some of the negative factors that could impede the progress of health care reform.

First off Silver points towards the obvious fact that it seems the White House has gone all-in. Hoping to serve merely as a catalyst or pulpit for passage of the bill has now given way to a hands on approach that has probably strapped Obama’s political life, and that of his party, to the success or failure of cutting a deal and getting a bill. Adding Republican proposals and holding a bipartisan summit have shown the President is not only willing but forced to get his hands dirty on the subject.

Barring a messy floor fight the Democrats already have 46 committed votes in the Senate and Silver does not see any reason to believe that 50 isn't easily obtainable. The reconciliation bill also features aspects that are largely agreed upon on both sides of the political isle. Decreasing the excise tax, eliminating kickbacks, reformatting formulas and subsidies while creating some sort of oversight outweigh the more controversial issues that are mostly out of the way at this point. The battle over the language of the bill and how it pertains to abortion persists but the White House can now take solace in the fact that it appears the House is ready to get aggressive and act first on health care reform.

Silver then suggests that rate increases from Anthem and other private insurers give the Democratic argument some backbone and allow them a stronger moral case on the subject as well as some helpful talking points while on the campaign trail. Adding political cover to such a sticky subject during an election year is probably encouraging to Democrats and the handful of moderate Republicans alike. Furthermore as a small bonus prize to the proceedings it appears that at least one “nay” vote is ready to exit his seat in the House. Embroiled in a sex scandal Eric Massa of New York may be planning to retire which would bring down the number of votes needed for passage in the House from 217 to 216.

On the flip-side Silver points out five additional factors that, if the bill dies in Congress once again, will be the chief culprits in the extinguishing of health care reform.

Bart Stupak hasn’t nudged in his opposition to the bill based on its abortion language. Several notable Democrats including Dennis Kucinich could join Stupak’s ranks and vote against the measure. Silver points the abortion subject as being a source of political cover for already wavering "Blue Dog" Democrats and those residing in competitive and/or moderate voting districts opposed to the reform bill. Secondly, just as Eric Massa’s retirement or resignation could improve the numbers for “Obamacare” supporters the loss of three Democrats; Jack Murtha, Neil Abercrombie and Robert Wexler make the math of adding up to 217-votes all the more difficult.

The Democratic brand name has also taken a hit over the past year and won’t help in the PR war to assist with the passage of this reform bill. Alarmed at the possibility of losing congressional control this November while sifting through the loss of certain colleagues by way of retirement, death or scandal would be an easy way to convince many embattled Dems to run to the political middle safeground and oppose the bill. As previously mentioned the American public has been consistently opposed to health care reform as indicated in most polls. Pollster.com who takes the figures from a number of organizations into consideration finds the current average rests at 42.5% in support of and 50.2% opposed. Measurements of likely voters, registered votes and adults in general all find more opposition than support for the current bill.

While President Obama’s bipartisan summit was probably necessary in damage control for the majority of the public who was strongly against the idea of the Democrats ramming through a bill without Republican support, it was, according to Silver, an underwhelming affair. The American public, as previously mentioned and indicated through polls, seems to have fairly locked in opinions on the subject. Lastly there is the ticking clock factor. The elections are eight months away, many states are already holding their primaries and the focus of both the public and in Washington will be dealing with the midterms more than it will the passage of health care reform.

PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS / J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

Poll: Movie fans are pulling for Bullock and "The Blind Side" at the Oscars

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The 82nd annual Academy Awards will air this Sunday, March 7th and Americans are expressing their feelings toward the nominated films, performances and hosts.

The survey, conducted by Rasmussen Reports, finds the general public pulling for the film The Blind Side in the “Best Picture” category, Sandra Bullock for “Best Lead Actress” and is split between two notable gentlemen vying for the Oscar for “Best Lead Actor”.

A quarter of adults (25%) would prefer to see The Blind Side take home the victory for “Best Picture”. The film centers around the odds defying journey of a homeless boy who eventually became an All-American football star and NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family. That woman, portrayed by Sandra Bullock, is the runaway winner in the hearts of movie goers for the “Best Lead Actress” Oscar as well. More than half (51%) of those polled would like to see Bullock win her first Academy Award this year.

With a current domestic gross of nearly $250-million The Blind Side is a major hit and has understandably found a home with many viewers. However its success in the theater has been dwarfed by director James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar which is the second most popular film among Oscar viewers. Avatar has grossed nearly $700-million in the United States and well over $2 –billion worldwide making it the biggest film in history. 17% of adults who intend to watch the Academy Awards on Sunday are also pulling for it win the “Best Picture” Oscar. Other films receiving votes include; Precious (12%), Inglorious Basterds (8%), The Hurt Locker (6%), An Education (4%), District 9 (2%), A Serious Man (2%), Up (1%) and Up in the Air (1%). One-quarter (25%) of viewers meanwhile remain undecided on their preference.

With Sandra Bullock receiving more than half the support of film fans no other actress is even within striking distance. Sixty-year old Meryl Streep is next on the list at 14%. Streep is seeking her third Oscar and has been nominated for the trophy a record sixteen times. Gabourey Sidibe earns the support of nine-percent of the public for her role in the acclaimed film Precious. Previous winner Helen Mirren is next with six-percent who would like to see her win for her role in the film The Last Station. Carey Mulligan with one-percent support for her performance in An Education rounds out the female nominees with eighteen-percent of the public still undecided.

In the hearts in the movie goers there is a much closer race for Oscar in the category of “Best Lead Actor”. Morgan Freeman (25%) and Jeff Bridges (24%) are nearly tied in their level of support. Freeman’s long and distinguished career has already earned him an Academy Award for his supporting role in the 2005 film Million Dollar Baby. Freeman is now seeking his second Oscar for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the film Invictus. Bridges, another acting veteran whose career dates back to the early-70s, received his fifth career Oscar nomination for his role in Crazy Heart. Many film insiders consider Bridges the favorite to win his first ever Oscar having already won “Best Actor” in the drama category at the Golden Globes.

Also in the running for “Best Lead Actor” is the popular George Clooney with seventeen-percent support from the public, Colin Firth with three-percent and Jeremy Renner pulling in two-percent. A fairly high 29% of Oscar viewers have not decided on a nominee to back.

The Academy Awards will be hosted by the duo of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Martin will be hosting for the third time and 2010 will be the first show since 1987, when Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan pieced things together, to feature multiple hosts. Martin is something of a fan favorite generating an 83% favorable and just a nine-percent unfavorable rating from viewers. While not as popular Baldwin also earns positive marks from better than two-thirds (67%) of the public with little more than a quarter (26%) viewing him negatively.


PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS / CHRIS PIZZELLO

Study: Americans use multiple platforms to gather news info, internet on the rise

When it comes to getting their news Americans are becoming more diversified and better equipped.

The recent finding of a study released by the Pew Research Center finds that 92% of the public uses multiple platforms to get their news information each day. Among these platforms are national and local television and newspapers, the internet and radio. Barely less than half (46%) of Americans suggest they operate through four to six media platforms each day and only trace percentages of the population (7%) use but one outlet for their daily news information.

Newspapers and the print media have been forced to deal with the encroaching internet for many years now, but perhaps they are not alone in their dilemma. With 59% of Americans claiming they get at least some of their daily news information online the web has now moved up to the third most popular outlet behind only local and national TV broadcasts. Pegging down exactly where users go on the web is a bit more difficult however. Nearly two-thirds (65%) claim not to have a single favorite news website. One-third of the online crowd meanwhile accesses news regularly from their cell phone.

Mobile technology and social networking have become essential to the surge of the internet in passing both newspapers and news radio. Cell phones as mobile devices allow users to gather news information anywhere and at any time during the day. With 80% of the public now owning a cell phone and 33% of that total using those devices for news, a total of 26% of all Americans get some form of news from their cell phone each day. Participation through social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have also become responsible in the spreading of news. Eight of ten individuals polled, who use the internet for news, send or receive links to web pages with articles on news topics. 37% meanwhile claim to have contributed to the creation or dissemination of news through personally written articles, blogs, or online commentary.

More than eight out of ten Americans (81%) say they follow news at least “some of the time” and only 38% rely solely on offline sources for their daily news. For those who do use the web the Pew study finds a clear majority (65%) of people are not loyal to any particular news source. Television is still the news leader with 78% gathering their daily information from local sources and 73% relying on national news. 61% say they get some kind of news online, 54% are tuned to their local radio and half (50%) read a daily newspaper.

Tracking the online behavior of Americans shows the weather, being followed by 81% of news seekers on the web, as the number one news topic. National events at 73% are second followed by health and medicine (66%), business and the economy (64%), international events (62%) and science and technology (60%). Three-quarters (75%) of the online public receives news through email and social networking sites and more than half (52%) claim they personally forward web links on news stories to family and friends.

Does quality suffer in the wake of better access? Asked the question of whether “major news organizations do a good job covering all the important news stories and subjects that matter to me”, 63% agree. However 72% of Americans consider news sources to be biased in their coverage. Of course a clear majority of conservatives think their media outlets do a good job in covering the news that is important to them and liberals are similarly supportive when the media “bias” swings in their preferred direction.

The Pew Research study of 1,675 national participants was conducted between December 28th and January 19, 2010.