Defining News from an Audience Perspective at a Time of Crisis in the United States

Given prevailing questions about the definition of news in a contemporary US media environment, the present study analyzes audience views on news, exploring through in-depth interviews how 65 (largely moderate and liberal-leaning) individuals define it. These views are captured at a unique time: during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd protests. Employing Media Dependency as a theoretical lens, it is argued that a time of crisis may crystallize audience views as people turn toward the media. In this context, findings indicate that audiences define news in very fundamental terms. But, reflecting individual differences and the nature of the contemporary media landscape, "news" is often divorced from journalists/institutions, indicating a broadening of the concept for younger and less frequent/traditional news consumers. Older and more frequent/traditional news consumers view news in more institutional terms. The influences of the US media context, as well as the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd protests, on views of news-ness are also discussed.