A new Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) survey finds that key consumer groups, adults 35-54, individuals in $100K+ households, and full-time employed adults, are watching more TV news than last year and are significantly more likely to turn to TV news first for breaking news rather than social media.
The report, titled “That’s The Way It Is: How TV News Provides Scale, Attention & Engagement For High-Value Audiences,” is based on a December 2025 survey of 2,319 U.S. adults conducted with Dynata.
It shows that roughly half of these valuable audiences increased their TV news consumption: 52% of adults 35-54, 46% of those in $100,000+ households, and 56% of full-time workers.
“Multiscreen TV news plays a central role in keeping influential audiences informed,” said Jason Wiese, VAB executive vice president of strategic insights and measurement. “In a media environment filled with misinformation and noise, it continues to stand out for its quality, reliability, accuracy and integrity.”
Wiese added that multiscreen TV news offers advertisers a credible, brand-safe environment that delivers trust, attention, and engagement at scale — particularly when compared to social platforms and AI-generated content.