Americans Disconnect from Political News as Exhaustion and Frustration Rise, Poll Shows

After months of intense election coverage, many Americans are stepping back from political news, citing mental exhaustion and a desire for balance. According to a new Associated Press-NORC poll, about two-thirds of adults say they've recently felt the need to limit media consumption on politics and government.

"People are mentally exhausted," said Ziad Aunallah, a 45-year-old Democrat from San Diego. "Everyone knows what is coming, and we are just taking some time off."

The trend is evident in television ratings, as reported by AP. Nielsen data shows sharp declines in viewership for cable networks like CNN and MSNBC, which have heavily focused on political content. MSNBC's prime-time audience has dropped by 54% since the election, while CNN's is down 45%. In contrast, Fox News, a favorite among Donald Trump supporters, has seen a 13% increase, now capturing 72% of the evening audience for the three networks combined.

The poll, conducted in early December among  1,251 adults, reveals that Democrats are stepping away from political news at higher rates than Republicans. About 70% of Democrats reported taking a break, compared to 60% of Republicans. Independents also reported similar levels of disengagement. For some viewers, the shift reflects a desire for deeper and less partisan reporting. Others have turned to alternative platforms like YouTube for news.

Smaller percentages of Americans are limiting their consumption of news about conflicts abroad, the economy or climate change, according to the survey.

Historically, post-election slumps in viewership aren't unusual, particularly for networks catering to the losing side. MSNBC saw similar declines after Trump's 2016 victory, while Fox News experienced a drop following Joe Biden's win in 2020.

However, the current decline for MSNBC is steeper, and broader trends like cord-cutting add uncertainty to future recovery. In the case of this station, several "Morning Joe" viewers were unhappy that hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski visited Trump shortly after his election victory.

Meanwhile, Americans also expressed growing dissatisfaction with political commentary from public figures. The survey found more disapproval than approval for celebrities, large companies, and athletes who take political stands. Viewers remains skeptical about returning to cable news anytime son, saying TV stations made the election their entire focus.