News Interest Index: Public Sees More of a Mix of Good and Bad Economic News

Report Read time:
News Interest Index: Public Sees More of a Mix of Good and Bad Economic News

After months of bleak economic news, an increasing proportion of Americans now say they are hearing a mix of good and bad economic news, while fewer say they are hearing mostly bad news. As has been the case for the last few months, very few say they are hearing mostly good news about the economy.

Currently, 46% say they are now hearing a mix of good and bad news about the economy; somewhat more (51%) say they are hearing mostly bad news. Just 2% say they are hearing mostly positive economic news. 

In February, 37% said they were hearing a mix of good and bad economic news, while 60% said they heard mostly negative news. In December, just 19% said they were hearing mixed economic news while about four times as many (80%) said the news they were hearing was mostly bad. 
 
In the latest weekly News Interest Index survey, conducted March 13-16 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, there has been a sharp increase in the proportion of Democrats who say they are hearing a mix of good and bad news about the economy. Currently, 55% of Democrats say they are hearing a mix of good and bad news, up from 41% in February. The shift has been less pronounced among Republicans and independents.   

Read the full report Public Sees More of a Mix of Good and Bad Economic News on the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press' Web site.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up

MORE FROM PEW

Getty Images Small Businesses in PA Support State Retirement Savings
A person wearing a helmet and harness climbs a ladder on a metallic wind turbine tower. How States Are Advancing Clean Energy
Six workers secure a large blue tarp on the roof of a two-story condominium under a cloudless blue sky. In the foreground is a badly damaged black SUV, along with large branches and pieces of homes—evidence that a strong storm recently struck. Disaster Resilience Efforts Vary Widely Among States
A long and wide wooden pier extends into a large body of water from a shoreline with a mix of low-rise buildings, houses, and trees. Two people are walking on the pier in the distance. Two other piers are visible in the background, as is a faraway mountain. WA Takes New Approach to Help Locals Boost Climate Resilience
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.