Australian economy, banks, economy, environment, Farming and agriculture, industries, Large companies and corporations, media, mining industry, Past Year, Polling, polls, small business
Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good
(Dec 10 |
Total bad
(Dec 10) |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| The banks | 69% | 13% | 71% | 8% | 35% | 36% | 16% | 6% | 2% | 4% |
| The mining industry | 57% | 14% | 68% | 11% | 34% | 34% | 15% | 8% | 3% | 6% |
| Large companies and corporations | 44% | 15% | 40% | 22% | 8% | 32% | 32% | 18% | 4% | 6% |
| The Australian economy | 41% | 20% | 33% | 31% | 4% | 29% | 32% | 24% | 7% | 3% |
| The media | 30% | 14% | 25% | 27% | 6% | 19% | 37% | 19% | 8% | 10% |
| Farming and agriculture | 14% | 50% | 23% | 40% | 2% | 21% | 30% | 28% | 12% | 7% |
| The environment | 14% | 37% | 20% | 33% | 3% | 17% | 41% | 24% | 9% | 6% |
| Small business | 14% | 45% | 10% | 61% | 1% | 9% | 24% | 42% | 19% | 6% |
A majority of respondents think it has been a good year for the banks (71%) and the mining industry (68%). They are also more likely to think it has been a good year for large companies and corporations (40% good/22% bad) and the economy (33%/31%). However, they are more likely to think the year has been bad for small business (61%), farming and agriculture (40%) and the environment (33%).
In terms of the economy, Labor voters (50% good/18% bad) and Greens voters (47%/15%) were more likely to think it has been a good year – while 45% of Liberal/National voters considered it poor and 23% good.
Compared to last years’ results, respondents considered 2011 a better year than 2010 for the mining industry (up 11% to 68% good), farming and agriculture (up 9% to 23%) and the environment (up 6% to 20%). Perceptions of the economy dropped from a net +21% to +2%.
ABC TV, Blogs, Commercial TV, current affairs, media, Newspapers, Polling, polls, radio talkback, trust in media, TV news
Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?
| Total a lot/some
15 Mar 10 |
Total a lot /some
25 Jul 11 |
Total a lot /some | A lot of trust | Some trust | Not much trust | No trust at all | Don’t know | Don’t use | |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 62% | 53% | 46% | 3% | 43% | 32% | 13% | 3% | 5% |
| News and opinion in local newspapers | – | 54% | 52% | 4% | 48% | 29% | 11% | 3% | 5% |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 64% | 48% | 43% | 5% | 38% | 34% | 19% | 3% | 2% |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 70% | 71% | 72% | 23% | 49% | 14% | 6% | 3% | 5% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 54% | 46% | 45% | 4% | 41% | 30% | 15% | 3% | 6% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 62% | 67% | 67% | 19% | 48% | 14% | 6% | 3% | 10% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 38% | 33% | 33% | 5% | 28% | 32% | 22% | 3% | 10% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 45% | 47% | 47% | 7% | 40% | 28% | 9% | 3% | 13% |
| News and opinion websites | 49% | 41% | 38% | 3% | 35% | 36% | 14% | 4% | 9% |
| Internet blogs | 20% | 20% | 17% | 1% | 16% | 37% | 25% | 5% | 15% |
Since July, trust in media has dropped for daily newspapers (-7%) and commercial TV news and current affairs (-5%).
ABC TV news and current affairs has the highest number of people who have a lot/some trust (72%). This is followed by ABC radio news and current affairs (67%).
The lowest level of trust was recorded for internet blog (17%). This was followed by commercial radio talkback programs (33%).
Australian Press Council, magazines, media, media industry, Newspaper Regulation, Newspapers, Polling, polls, press, Press Council
Q. Newspapers and magazines are regulated by the Australian Press Council which was established by the media industry and comprises representatives of media organisations and as well as independent members.
From what you read, do you think that the Press Council is doing a good or poor job of regulating newspapers in Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total good | 20% | 22% | 25% | 14% |
| Total poor | 25% | 26% | 22% | 37% |
| Very good job | 1% | 3% | 1% | – |
| Good job | 19% | 19% | 24% | 14% |
| Neither good nor poor | 38% | 38% | 40% | 31% |
| Poor job | 17% | 15% | 16% | 24% |
| Very poor job | 8% | 11% | 6% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 14% | 13% | 18% |
20% believed that the Press Council is doing a good job of regulating newspapers and 25% thought it is doing a poor job. 38% say they are doing neither a good nor poor job and 17% don’t know.
Those most likely to think they are doing a good job were aged under 35 (25%) and Liberal/National voters (25%). Those most likely to think they are doing a poor job were aged 55+ (35%) and Greens voters (37%).
ABC radio, ABC TV, Blogs, Essential Report, free-to-air TV, Internet, media, News, Newspapers, pay TV, Polling, Radio
Q. Thinking about where you get your news, on an average day which of the following media would you use? (multiple response)
Q. And which one is your main source of news?
| Total used | Main source | Total use (weekdays) Dec 10 | ||
| Daily newspaper | 41% | 13% | 42% | |
| Commercial (free-to-air) TV news | 60% | 31% | 64% | |
| ABC TV news | 32% | 8% | 32% | |
| SBS TV news | 15% | 2% | 12% | |
| Pay TV news | 11% | 3% | 10% | |
| Commercial radio news | 28% | 5% | 27% | |
| ABC radio news | 18% | 5% | 17% | |
| Internet news sites – e.g. newspaper sites, ABC, etc | 59% | 30% | 55% | |
| Internet blogs | 8% | * | 6% | |
| None of them | 2% | 2% | 5% |
The most used media for daily news were commercial TV news (60% use daily), internet news sites (59%) and daily newspapers (41%).
Since this question was last asked in December last year, usage of internet news sites has increased a little (+4%) and commercial TV news decreased a little (-4%).
The main sources of news were commercial TV news (31%) and internet news sites (30%).
Commercial TV news was the main source of news for 38% of those aged 45-64, 36% of women and 44% of part-time workers.
Internet news sites were the main source of news for 43% of those aged under 35 and 36% of full-time workers.
Daily newspapers were the main source of news for 26% of those aged 65+.
Essential Report, media, Newspapers, paywall, Polling
Q. Some newspapers in Australia now require readers to take out a subscription to view all their articles online. This means, while some news and opinion articles are free, readers will have to pay to access all content. How likely would you be to pay a subscription to access news websites?
| Total | Aged
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | Main source Internet news sites | |
| Total likely | 9% | 14% | 6% | 4% | 8% |
| Total not likely | 88% | 80% | 89% | 95% | 88% |
| Very likely | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| Somewhat likely | 7% | 12% | 5% | 2% | 7% |
| Not very likely | 18% | 18% | 17% | 19% | 19% |
| Not at all likely | 70% | 62% | 72% | 76% | 69% |
| Don’t know | 4% | 5% | 5% | 1% | 5% |
Only 9% of respondents said they would be very or somewhat likely to pay to access news websites.
Among those for whom news websites are their main source of news, only 8% said they would be likely to pay for access. Younger respondents were more likely to be willing to pay for access to news websites – 14% of those aged under 35.
agriculture, construction, Finance, hospitality, manufacturing, media, mining, protection of local industries, Retail, telecommunications, tourism
Q. Thinking about Australian industries, how would you rate the current state of the following industries?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Poor | Very poor | |
| Mining | 85% | 15% | 76% | 9% | 2% | 13% |
| Construction | 77% | 23% | 47% | 30% | 7% | 16% |
| Hospitality | 81% | 19% | 46% | 35% | 7% | 12% |
| Tourism | 81% | 19% | 45% | 36% | 7% | 12% |
| Finance | 76% | 24% | 44% | 32% | 8% | 16% |
| Telecommunications | 78% | 22% | 43% | 35% | 11% | 11% |
| Media | 72% | 28% | 38% | 34% | 12% | 16% |
| Agriculture | 75% | 25% | 36% | 39% | 9% | 16% |
| Retail | 75% | 25% | 26% | 49% | 16% | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 62% | 38% | 19% | 43% | 22% | 16% |
76% rate the state of the mining industry as very good – the only industry to score above 50%. However at least 75% think all other industries except manufacturing are in a very good or good state.
Only 19% rate manufacturing as very good – and 38% rate it poor or very poor.
agriculture, construction, economy, Finance, future, hospitality, management of the economy, manufacturing, media, mining, Retail, telecommunications, tourism
Q. And which of these industries are the three most important for Australia’s economic future?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Mining | 67% | 77% | 67% | 61% |
| Agriculture | 58% | 57% | 59% | 58% |
| Tourism | 46% | 47% | 43% | 56% |
| Manufacturing | 37% | 30% | 40% | 36% |
| Construction | 25% | 26% | 26% | 31% |
| Finance | 21% | 18% | 23% | 17% |
| Retail | 17% | 18% | 17% | 12% |
| Telecommunications | 14% | 16% | 11% | 20% |
| Hospitality | 10% | 10% | 9% | 6% |
| Media | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 4% | * | 4% | 3% |
Australia’s most important industries are thought to be mining (67%), agriculture (58%), tourism (46%) and manufacturing (37%). Opinions are consistent across voter groups in terms of order of importance.
Essential Report, media, Perceptions of Media, Polling, polls
Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?
| Total a lot/some
15 Mar 10 |
Total a lot /some | A lot of trust | Some trust | Not much trust | No trust at all | Don’t know | Don’t use | |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 62% | 53% | 6% | 47% | 29% | 10% | 2% | 6% |
| News and opinion in local newspapers | – | 54% | 6% | 48% | 29% | 8% | 2% | 6% |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 64% | 48% | 5% | 43% | 30% | 17% | 2% | 3% |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 70% | 71% | 23% | 48% | 15% | 6% | 2% | 6% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 54% | 46% | 4% | 42% | 32% | 12% | 3% | 7% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 62% | 67% | 21% | 46% | 17% | 4% | 2% | 10% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 38% | 33% | 5% | 28% | 32% | 22% | 3% | 10% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 45% | 47% | 10% | 37% | 27% | 9% | 3% | 13% |
| News and opinion websites | 49% | 41% | 5% | 36% | 35% | 12% | 3% | 9% |
| Internet blogs | 20% | 20% | 2% | 18% | 35% | 25% | 5% | 16% |
Trust in media has dropped in all the types of media listed above since 15th March 2010 – except for ABC outlets, which have actually increased slightly.
ABC TV news and current affairs collects the highest number of people who have a lot/some trust (71%). This is followed by ABC radio news and current affairs (67%).
The lowest level of trust was recorded for internet blog (20% – the same as in March 2010). This was followed by commercial radio talkback programs (33%).
The biggest drop in trust was for Commercial TV news and current affairs which dropped from 64% to 49% for the total number of people who selected a lot/some trust.
Another big drop was in the level of trust for news and opinion in daily newspapers, which dropped from 62% in March 2010 to 53% for the total number of people who selected a lot/some trust.