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  • Mar, 2021

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    Frequency of reading news on technology platforms

    Q. How frequently do you use technology platforms like Google and social media to search for and read news articles?

      Mar’21 Sep’20
    At least daily 49% 52%
    At least once a week 24% 22%
    At least once a month 7% 8%
    Less frequently than one a month 10% 6%
    Never 11% 11%
    Base (n) 1,074 1,076

     

      Total Age Group
      18-34 35-54 55+
    At least daily 49% 51% 58% 38%
    At least once a week 24% 28% 25% 20%
    At least once a month 7% 10% 6% 5%
    Less frequently than one a month 10% 7% 6% 17%
    Never 11% 4% 6% 20%
    Base (n) 1,074 326 363 385
    • Just under half (49%) of adult Australians use Google and social media to search and read news on a daily basis (down 3 percentage points since Sep’20). A further 24% use these platforms at least weekly.
    • People aged 35-54 are the heaviest consumers of news through Google and social media, with 58% using these platforms on a daily basis.
  • Apr, 2014

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    Reason for cutting funding to ABC

    Q. If the Federal Government cut funding to the ABC do you think it would be because:

     

    Total

     

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other

    The Government needs to reduce overall spending

    45%

    36%

    64%

    25%

    39%

    The Government doesn’t like the ABC’s news coverage

    28%

    38%

    6%

    65%

    36%

    The ABC has more than enough funding to do its job efficiently

    10%

    6%

    17%

    1%

    7%

    Don’t know

    18%

    20%

    13%

    9%

    18%

    45% think that funding cuts to the ABC would be made because the Government needs to reduce overall spending and 28% think it would be because the Government doesn’t like the ABC’s news coverage.

    Those more likely to think it would be because the Government doesn’t like the ABC’s news coverage were Greens voters (65%), Labor voters (38%), income less than $600pw (38%) and university educated (34%).

  • Nov, 2011

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    Media Usage

    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+.

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  • May, 2011

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    Trust in Media

    Q. How much would you say you trust each of the following media sources to provide you with the news and information you want about Australian politics?

    A lot/some trust
    Total a lot/some trust Total not much/no trust A lot of trust Some trust Not much trust No trust at all Don’t know Aged 18-34 Aged 35-54 Aged 55+
    ABC TV 76% 15% 29% 47% 9% 6% 9% 73% 77% 79%
    SBS 70% 15% 24% 46% 10% 5% 15% 69% 72% 67%
    ABC radio 69% 17% 25% 44% 11% 6% 14% 66% 71% 71%
    Daily newspapers 53% 40% 6% 47% 31% 9% 7% 52% 53% 52%
    Commercial TV 45% 48% 4% 41% 35% 13% 7% 42% 48% 44%
    Sky News 41% 25% 7% 34% 17% 8% 34% 46% 42% 34%
    Commercial radio 40% 48% 4% 36% 34% 14% 12% 34% 44% 41%

    The most trusted media for news and information about politics were ABC TV (76%), SBS (70%) and ABC radio (69%). The least trusted were commercial radio and commercial TV (both 48% not much or no trust).

    Those aged 18-34 tended to have more trust in Sky News (46%) but less trust in commercial radio (34%).

    The major differences by voting intention were that Liberal/National voters have more trust in commercial TV (52%), Sky News (48%) and commercial radio (49%).

    Comments »

  • May, 2011

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    Perceptions of Media

    Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

    Total agree Total disagree Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
    The media usually reports the news accurately 35% 54% 2% 33% 41% 13% 12%
    The media usually reports all sides of a story 21% 69% 1% 20% 46% 23% 10%
    The media is too critical of government and politicians in Australia 29% 57% 4% 25% 46% 11% 14%
    These days I rely more on the internet than newspapers and TV for my news and information about politics. 44% 46% 12% 32% 37% 9% 10%
    I trust the media more than I trust politicians 37% 43% 4% 33% 33% 10% 20%
    I trust politicians more than I trust the media 16% 65% 1% 15% 44% 21% 18%
    The media does a good job of scrutinizing politics and holding politicians accountable 45% 43% 3% 42% 31% 12% 12%
    Overall, the media are politically biased in favour of the Liberal Party 19% 55% 4% 15% 44% 11% 26%
    Overall, the media are politically biased in favour of the Labor Party 23% 50% 5% 18% 41% 9% 25%
    The media are too focused on personalities and not enough on policies 70% 18% 21% 49% 15% 3% 12%
    There is too much coverage of politics in the media 34% 52% 7% 27% 45% 7% 14%
    The media does a good job of helping people to understand political and social issues 40% 48% 2% 38% 36% 12% 12%
    I follow the news closely every day 57% 38% 10% 47% 32% 6% 6%

    The majority of respondents disagree that the media usually reports all sides of a story (69%) and that the media reports the news accurately (54%).

    However, they tend to trust the media a little more than they trust politicians – 37% agree they trust the media more and 16% agree they trust politicians more.

    The results also indicate that respondents want more rather than less coverage of politics – only 34% agree that there is too much coverage of politics and 57% disagree that the media is too critical of government and politicians.

    Respondents were divided over whether the media does a good job of scrutinizing politics and holding politicians accountable (45% agree/43% disagree) and tended to disagree that the media does a good job of helping people to understand political and social issues (40% agree/48% disagree).

    70% agree that the media are too focused on personalities and not enough on policies.

    A minority of respondents think the media are biased – 23% think they are biased in favour of the Labor Party and 19% in favour of the Liberal Party.

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  • Dec, 2010

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    News Sources – Weekdays

    Q. Thinking about where you get your news, on an average weekday which of the following media would you use?

      Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Daily newspaper 42% 42% 47% 38%
    Commercial (free-to-air) TV news 64% 68% 67% 57%
    ABC TV news 32% 34% 34% 32%
    SBS TV news 12% 10% 11% 19%
    Pay TV news 10% 11% 11% 6%
    Commercial radio news 27% 23% 34% 20%
    ABC radio news 17% 17% 17% 22%
    Internet news sites – e.g. newspaper sites, ABC, etc 55% 54% 59% 56%
    Internet blogs 6% 4% 7% 10%
    None of them 5% 2% 3% 10%

    The most commonly used news sources on weekdays are commercial TV news (64%), internet news sites (55%) and newspapers (42%).

    Respondents aged 45+ were more likely to use commercial TV news (70%), newspapers (48%), and ABC TV news (43%). Those aged under 35 were more likely to access internet news sites (60%) and less likely to read newspapers (36%). Comments »

  • Dec, 2010

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    News Sources – Weekends

    Q. And where do you get your news on an average weekend?

      Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Weekend newspaper 50% 51% 56% 43%
    Commercial (free-to-air) TV news 59% 64% 62% 42%
    ABC TV news 28% 29% 30% 29%
    SBS TV news 10% 9% 10% 13%
    Pay TV news 9% 9% 10% 3%
    Commercial radio news 17% 15% 22% 10%
    ABC radio news 13% 13% 14% 17%
    Internet news sites – e.g. newspaper sites, ABC, etc 42% 41% 43% 42%
    Internet blogs 4% 2% 4% 8%
    None of them 6% 4% 3% 15%

     The most commonly used news sources on weekends are commercial TV news (59%), newspapers (50%) and internet news sites (42%). Respondents were more likely to read newspapers on weekends than weekdays (42% weekdays/50% weekends) but less likely to view commercial TV news (64%/59%) or internet news sites (55%/42%).

    Respondents aged 55+ were more likely to use commercial TV news (65%), newspapers (61%), and ABC TV news (46%). Comments »

  • Dec, 2010

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    Trust in News Sources

    Q. Please rate your level of trust in the news and information from each source.

     

    Total always/usually trustworthy

    Always trustworthy

    Usually trustworthy

    Seldom trustworthy

    I do not trust it at all

    Don’t know

    ABC TV news 82% 21% 61% 7% 3% 8%
    SBS TV news 78% 19% 59% 8% 2% 12%
    ABC radio news 78% 18% 60% 8% 3% 12%
    Commercial (free-to-air) TV news 69% 5% 64% 20% 6% 5%
    Internet news sites – e.g. newspaper sites, ABC, etc 66% 5% 61% 18% 4% 12%
    Newspapers 65% 3% 62% 22% 7% 6%
    Commercial radio news 62% 4% 58% 19% 8% 11%
    Pay TV news 48% 4% 44% 14% 6% 32%
    Internet blogs 17% 1% 16% 31% 26% 26%

     The most trusted news sources were ABC TV news (82%), ABC radio news (78%) and SBS TV news (78%).

    The least trustworthy were internet blogs (57% seldom/no trust), newspapers (29%), commercial radio news (27%) and commercial TV news (26%).

    Women were more likely than men to trust commercial TV news (75%/62%), newspapers (68%/63%) and commercial radio news (68%/55%). Comments »

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