Thu Dec 26 15:37:50 UTC 2024: **Americans Experiencing Record Levels of Political Fatigue After Election, Poll Reveals**
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new poll reveals a significant surge in political fatigue among Americans following the intense 2024 presidential election. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, released Thursday, found that 65% of US adults are actively limiting their political news consumption due to information overload and exhaustion. This trend transcends party lines, with 72% of Democrats, 59% of Republicans, and 63% of Independents reporting similar sentiments.
The survey, conducted in early December after Republican Donald Trump’s victory, reflects a broader disengagement from political media. Television news ratings show a significant drop in viewership across major networks like MSNBC and CNN, with declines of 54% and 45% respectively in primetime viewership since election night. Conversely, Fox News saw a 13% increase, indicating a potential shift in media consumption towards partisan sources.
This widespread fatigue is not a new phenomenon. Similar levels of “news burnout” were reported in 2020 and 2018 by the Pew Research Center. Pew’s research also highlighted high levels of exhaustion and anger associated with American politics, with many describing the political climate as “divisive.”
Dr. Arash Javanbakht, an associate professor of psychiatry at Wayne State University, attributes this exhaustion to factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, years of intense political polarization, the impact of social media, and growing disillusionment with both US politics and the media. He suggests that the “politics of fear” is a key contributor to this widespread disengagement. The poll underscores a growing trend of Americans seeking respite from the relentless cycle of political news.
First Piper 