Tablet computers having dramatic impact on media consumption, report finds

Researchers with the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism say the rise of tablet computers and other mobile devices has spurred a resurgence in media consumption.

According to the center's 2012 State of the News Media report, 27 percent of Americans say they now get their news through either a tablet or smartphone. While the majority of Americans still consume online news through either a desktop or laptop, 17 percent said they also read and view content on a tablet.

Tablets are also changing how consumers get their news. When using these devices, researchers note, consumers tend to read longer news pieces and spend more time on news sites than if they were on a traditional PC.

"The demand for conventional journalism endures and in some ways is even growing," project director Tom Rosenstiel says, according to the Associated Press. "There were many people that didn't predict that. The content is still coming from traditional news companies."

ComScore's Digital Omnivores: How Tablets, Smartphones and Connected Devices are Changing US Digital Media Consumption Habits report also shows similar findings. Released in October 2011, the report reveals that 60 percent of tablet owners consume the news on their device.