For the next six to eight weeks, the 18 men and women chosen as jurors and alternates in former President Donald Trump‘s first criminal trial—which begins today at Manhattan Criminal Court—will have a front row seat to a major historical event while the rest of us follow along on our television screens. But what news networks do the jurors follow when they’re off the clock? Turns out that many of them appear to prefer print and social media over cable news.
That’s according to information that The New York Times published on Friday based on responses to the questionnaire that prospective jurors were required to take during the selection process. Among the 42 questions was a query about their media diet, with specific sources—including newspapers like the Times, USA Today and The Washington Post, as well as such networks as CNN, Fox News and MSNBC—cited by name. Jurors were also allowed to list unmentioned outlets or indicate that they weren’t regular news consumers.
The New York Times itself proved to be the big winner with 14 out of the 18 jurors and alternates selecting it as a regular source for their news. Google News placed second with five picks followed by The Wall Street Journal with four and The Washington Post with two, which tied the Jeff Bezos-owned paper with TikTok.
Among the cable networks, CNN was cited by two jurors as a reliable portion of their media diet, while Fox News and MSNBC received a single mention from the same juror. Another juror identified themselves as a regular CNBC viewer, and an alternate singled out Spectrum News NY1.
Of course, the jurors and alternates will have to refrain from indulging in any of their preferred news sources during the course of the trial. Juries are expected to avoid any TV or radio broadcasts that might discuss the case so that their verdict is solely derived from the evidence presented in court.