There has been a precipitous decline in the number of voters relying on newspapers as a major source of campaign news. This falloff has occurred across all demographic groups, although it has been somewhat more pronounced among well-educated voters, who traditionally have been steadfast newspaper readers. This education gap has narrowed considerably. In place of traditional media sources, voters are increasingly going online for election information. Though Internet use has risen across the population, more educated and wealthier voters have been the most ready to take advantage of this new resource.
Age is another factor associated with Internet use.
Though there have been increases in Internet use among all voters, the disparity between young and old still exists. The digital divide for election news is based more on age and income than race. Along with changing media habits, the 2000 election has also been marked by increasing concerns about the news media's influence. Some of this dissatisfaction is evidently linked to perceptions of media fairness in covering the candidates. But as has been the case in the past, Republicans are less satisfied with press coverage, and more likely to perceive a press bias against their candidate.