The Video Advertising Bureau this week released a report showing that multiscreen TV news dominates social media, search engines, and artificial intelligence on virtually every trust and engagement metric among the three audience segments advertisers covet most. The report, titled "And That's the Way It Is: How TV News Provides Scale, Attention and Engagement For High-Value Audiences," was published on April 14, 2026, and draws on a custom survey of 2,319 U.S. adults fielded in December 2025 in partnership with research firm Dynata.

The findings carry direct implications for media planners allocating budgets across linear TV, connected television, and digital platforms in a period when the relative value of news environments is under sustained scrutiny. VAB's earlier March 2026 report examined how voters across party lines trust TV news far more than social platforms for political information. This follow-up extends the analysis beyond political audiences to three commercially defined segments: adults aged 35 to 54, households with annual income of $100,000 or more, and adults employed full-time.

Together, those groups represent audiences with outsized purchasing power. The survey findings suggest their relationship with TV news is both habitual and deepening.

Viewership patterns and weekly habits

Watching TV news in a typical week is not an occasional behavior for these groups - it is routine. According to the VAB report, 54% of adults aged 35 to 54 watch local TV news in a typical week, rising to 64% among households earning $100,000 or more and 57% among those employed full-time. For national TV news, the figures are 45%, 62%, and 51% respectively across those same groups.

What makes these numbers more notable is the direction of travel. Roughly half of each cohort reported watching more TV news compared to the previous year: 52% of adults 35 to 54, 46% of households earning $100,000 or more, and 56% of those employed full-time said their consumption had increased. The increase is not confined to older demographics. According to the report, 58% of adults aged 18 to 34 are also watching more TV news, a finding that complicates assumptions about younger audiences gravitating primarily toward social platforms.

Staying informed about current events is the top reason cited for watching, with 43% of adults 35 to 54, 43% of households earning $100,000 or more, and 41% of those employed full-time selecting that option. The pattern suggests that for these audiences, news on TV serves a functional purpose rather than a purely habitual one.

Breaking news and local information: TV still first

When breaking news happens, these audiences are significantly more likely to turn to TV than to social media. According to the survey, 52% of adults 35 to 54 go to local TV news first for breaking news coverage, with 32% choosing national TV news. Social media draws just 16% of that cohort as a first source for breaking news. Among households earning $100,000 or more, the pattern leans even more heavily toward national TV news: 52% go there first for breaking news, compared to 36% for local TV news and 10% for social media.

For quick updates on a developing story, local TV news remains first among adults 35 to 54 at 34%, though national TV at 33% is close behind. Social media trails at 32% for that group - its strongest showing in the data, but still level with or behind television channels. Among households earning $100,000 or more, national TV news is the dominant source at 51% for ongoing story updates, with social media at 21%.

The gap widens dramatically for utility-driven information. According to the report, 81% of adults 35 to 54 turn to local TV news first for weather forecasts - compared to 9% for national TV news, 7% for social media, and 3% for none of the above. For traffic updates, 76% of adults 35 to 54 and 76% of those employed full-time go to local TV news first. These numbers illustrate that for practical, daily-use content, local TV news functions as a near-default resource for these audiences.

The segments watched across a broad range of local news content. Weather forecasts attracted 84% of adults 35 to 54 among local news viewers, matching 83% of those earning $100,000 or more and 84% of those employed full-time. Breaking news segments drew similarly high participation. Sports coverage reached 58% of adults 35 to 54, 61% of high-income viewers, and 64% of those employed full-time. Local spotlights and community features attracted 55%, 53%, and 57% respectively. Consumer reports and investigative segments - relevant for advertisers concerned with credibility environments - drew 36%, 40%, and 37%.

Trust differentials: TV versus social media and AI

The trust data in this report is among the most consequential for media buyers. According to the VAB survey, when respondents were asked to rank which source they trust most for news, local TV news ranked first across all three audience groups. Among adults 35 to 54, local TV news was named most trusted by 44%, national TV news by 25%, search engines by 14%, social media by 11%, and AI tools by 7%. Among households earning $100,000 or more, the combined trust figure for local and national TV news reaches 75% - with local at 40% and national at 35%. Social media draws 6% trust in that group, AI just 5%.

That 75% versus 6% ratio translates to the headline figure VAB features in its release: households earning $100,000 or more are almost 13 times more likely to trust TV news than social media platforms. For those employed full-time, the combined TV news trust figure reaches 71%, with social media drawing 10% and AI 7%.

Satisfaction data reinforces these trust rankings. Among adults 35 to 54, 72% expressed satisfaction with the accuracy of TV news reports, against 12% who were dissatisfied. Among households earning $100,000 or more, 73% were satisfied with accuracy. For journalism quality, satisfaction reached 69% among adults 35 to 54, 65% among high-income viewers, and 69% among those employed full-time. Dissatisfaction rates on reporting quality remained in single digits for the 35 to 54 group at 11%, rising to 21% among high-income households - the highest dissatisfaction figure in the accuracy and quality data.

On the question of unbiased perspective, the picture is more mixed but still favorable toward TV. Satisfaction with TV news offering an unbiased perspective reached 54% among adults 35 to 54 and 53% among those employed full-time. Among high-income households, 52% were satisfied and 29% dissatisfied - a narrower margin than in other categories. Nevertheless, even in this dimension, TV news outperforms social media.

The contrast with social media on perceived misinformation is stark. According to the report, 46% of adults 35 to 54 identified social media as the source most likely to provide fake or misleading information, compared to 20% who said TV. That is a 2.3 times difference. Among households earning $100,000 or more, the gap is far wider: 58% identified social media as most likely to spread misinformation, versus just 13% who said TV - a 4.5 times differential. Among those employed full-time, social media drew 50% and TV 17%, a 3 times difference.

Concern about AI in media is near-universal across all three groups. According to the survey, 86% of adults 35 to 54 expressed some degree of concern about the use of AI in media, with 92% of high-income households and 88% of those employed full-time sharing that concern. The 92% figure among high-income households is the highest of any group measured, including adults aged 18 to 34, of whom 87% expressed AI-related concern.

These findings sit alongside broader industry patterns. VAB's February 2026 report with TVision showed that premium video platforms outperform YouTube across every key attention and engagement metric on CTV. The trust dimension measured in the current report adds another layer to the argument for premium, credentialed news environments over algorithmically-curated social and AI-generated content.

Brand perception and purchase intent

The trust differential between TV news and social media does not remain abstract for advertisers. According to the report, viewers are more than twice as likely to hold a better opinion of brands that advertise during local TV news than to hold a worse opinion. Among adults 35 to 54, 46% agreed they have a better opinion of brands advertising during local TV news, against 14% who disagreed. Among those employed full-time, 47% agreed and 15% disagreed.

This brand halo effect extends to younger audiences. According to the report, 47% of adults aged 18 to 34 expressed a more favorable view of advertisers in local TV news. That the halo effect appears across generational cohorts rather than just among older viewers is a notable methodological detail for planners who assume local TV credibility is relevant only for certain demographics.

Purchase intent data adds a further commercial dimension. Among those employed full-time, 29% said they would be more likely to purchase from advertisers whose ads appear following a breaking news story on local TV news, compared to 17% who said less likely. During national TV news, 29% of households earning $100,000 or more and 29% of those employed full-time said they would be more likely to purchase, against 14% who said less likely.

The lift in purchase intent extends into political programming environments, which carry implications for advertisers seeking premium-context placements during the 2026 midterm election cycle. According to the report, high-income households are 114% more likely than not to purchase from advertisers appearing during a political debate or town hall. Among adults 35 to 54, 26% said they would be more likely to purchase in that context, against 12% who said less likely. Among adults aged 18 to 34, 32% said they would be more likely to purchase from an advertiser adjacent to a political debate or town hall, compared to 21% who said less likely.

Right after a political ad, 26% of those employed full-time said they would be more likely to purchase from an adjacent advertiser, against 14% who said less likely. These figures suggest the positive context effect of credible political news environments transfers to commercial messages placed nearby.

Political media consumption and candidate discovery

The political engagement data in the report has practical relevance as the midterm election cycle approaches. Among voter respondents, TV news is the dominant source for staying informed on key national political issues. According to the survey, 60% of adults 35 to 54 who are registered voters or plan to vote use TV news for that purpose, rising to 67% among high-income voter respondents and 61% among those employed full-time. Social media posts draw 45%, 34%, and 47% respectively - notable figures, but consistently lower than TV across all three cohorts.

When it comes to first learning about a political candidate, TV is the leading medium by a wide margin. Among voter respondents in households earning $100,000 or more, 46% said they are most likely to first learn about a candidate on TV - compared to 24% who cited social media. That ratio makes affluent audiences roughly twice as likely to discover candidates via TV as via social platforms, according to VAB.

For election results coverage, national TV news is the dominant destination. Among households earning $100,000 or more, 70% go to national TV news first for election results, with local TV news drawing 17%, social media 10%, and none of the above 3%. Among adults 35 to 54, 57% go to national TV news for results, with local TV drawing 26% and social media 12%.

Local TV news takes the lead for local politics. Among households earning $100,000 or more, 69% go to local TV news first for local political coverage, compared to 12% for national TV news, 9% for social media, and 9% for none of the above.

In terms of political content engagement during election years, 58% of adults 35 to 54 and 57% of those employed full-time report engaging with election results coverage. TV coverage of political party conventions draws 54% of adults 35 to 54, 53% of high-income audiences, and 56% of those employed full-time. Candidate debates attract 53%, 63%, and 58% respectively - with the 63% figure among high-income viewers the highest engagement level for any content format measured. Candidate interviews draw 48%, 59%, and 53%.

After seeing a political ad on TV, viewers in these segments take measurable follow-on actions. Among those employed full-time, 35% visited a candidate's social media after seeing a TV political ad, 26% checked voter registration status or polling station information, 21% used a voice assistant to learn more, and 14% scanned a QR code or texted a number. The cross-platform spillover from TV advertising into digital search and social behavior is a dimension that media planners focused narrowly on last-click attribution may undercount.

Methodology and sample composition

The survey was fielded in December 2025 by Dynata on behalf of VAB. The total sample comprised 2,319 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. Subgroup sample sizes vary across questions: adults aged 35 to 54 respondents numbered 766 for general viewership questions and 422 for news-focused questions; households earning $100,000 or more numbered 420 for general questions and 298 for news-focused questions; those employed full-time numbered 826 for general questions and 492 for news-focused questions. Voter-based questions used a filtered subset of respondents who identified as registered voters, planned to vote in 2026 midterm or local elections, or typically vote by mail.

The report is the second in a series. VAB's March 2026 report examined media consumption among voters segmented by party affiliation and political involvement, finding that nearly 9 times as many potential voters trusted TV news over social media for political information. The current report shifts to commercially defined audience segments rather than politically defined ones, allowing comparison across income, employment, and age criteria relevant to advertising planning.

Why this matters for the marketing community

The report arrives at a moment when the allocation of advertising dollars across linear TV, streaming TV, and digital channels is a live debate among planners and buyers. PPC Land has tracked how ad-supported streaming in the United States now reaches 209.4 million viewers, with CTV expected to represent 43% of TV advertising budgets in 2026. Within that broad expansion of video advertising, the VAB data raises a specific question about which environments carry the greatest credibility transfer to brands.

Brand safety concerns in digital environments have intensified as AI-generated content proliferates. Concern about AI adjacency in media environments reached 53% among media experts in research published in late 2025, and programmatic buyers are increasingly prioritizing curated supply paths and high-quality inventory as a primary driver of media decisions. The VAB survey data maps audience-side trust perceptions onto these supply-side concerns, showing that the audiences advertisers prize most are also those most skeptical of AI and social platforms as credible information sources.

For media planners, the intersection of these findings with the 2026 midterm election cycle creates a specific opportunity window. TV news viewership typically rises during election periods, and the survey shows that engagement with political content on TV translates into measurable purchase intent lift for commercial advertisers placed adjacent to that programming. The 114% purchase intent premium among high-income households during political debates is a figure that positions TV news inventory as a performance environment, not merely a brand awareness channel.

Timeline

Summary

Who: The Video Advertising Bureau (VAB), a trade organization representing premium multiscreen TV providers and distributors, in partnership with research firm Dynata. The report was authored by Jason Wiese (EVP, Strategic Insights and Measurement), Leah Pujalte (VP, Audience and Behavioral Insights), Karolina Guillen (Associate Director, Insights, Strategy and Analytics), and Amanda Cashman (Insights Analyst).

What: A custom survey-based report examining TV news viewership, trust, and advertising effectiveness among three commercially significant audience segments - adults aged 35 to 54, households with annual income of $100,000 or more, and adults employed full-time - compared against social media platforms, search engines, and AI tools as news sources.

When: The survey was fielded in December 2025, covering 2,319 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. The report was released on April 14, 2026.

Where: The survey covered U.S. adults nationally, with regional distribution fairly consistent across audience groups, though affluent respondents skewed slightly more toward the Pacific and Northeast regions. The report is addressed to VAB members, brand marketers, and agencies.

Why: The report is designed to quantify the trust advantage of multiscreen TV news over social and AI platforms as an advertising environment, at a moment when budget allocation decisions between linear TV, streaming, and digital channels are actively contested among planners. The 2026 midterm election cycle, cited implicitly throughout the political engagement data, adds a specific commercial use case for the findings around political programming adjacency and purchase intent.

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