Importance of online media for news and information
Q. How important are the following online media to you personally for news and information?
|
Total very/quite important |
Very important |
Quiet important |
A little important |
Not important |
Can’t say |
|
|
52% |
24% |
28% |
26% |
19% |
3% |
|
| Newspaper websites |
43% |
17% |
26% |
29% |
24% |
4% |
| Other news websites |
41% |
14% |
27% |
29% |
27% |
4% |
|
28% |
13% |
15% |
23% |
48% |
2% |
|
| Websites about social and political campaigns |
16% |
4% |
12% |
21% |
57% |
6% |
| Blogs |
12% |
3% |
9% |
21% |
62% |
6% |
|
9% |
3% |
6% |
8% |
75% |
8% |
Google is the most important source of news and information (52% very/quite important). Although Facebook tends to be used more frequently, it is not as important as news websites for news and information.
Google is more important to – aged 18-24 (71% very/quite important), aged 25-34 (59%) and incomes over $1,600 pw (57%).
Newspaper websites are more important to – aged 25-34 (54% very/quite important) and incomes over $1,000 pw (51%).
Other news websites are more important to – aged 25-34 (50% very/quite important).
Facebook is more important to – aged 18-24 (51% very/quite important) and aged 25-34 (43%).
Websites about social and political campaigns are more important to – aged 18-24 (23% very/quite important), aged 25-34 (25%) and Greens voters (33%).
Blogs are more important to – aged 18-24 (19% very/quite important), aged 25-34 (21%) and Greens voters (23%).
Twitter is more important to – aged 18-24 (17% very/quite important) and aged 25-34 (20%).
Reading Newspapers
Q. How often do you read newspapers (in print, not online)?
|
Total |
Aged 18-34 |
Aged 35-54 |
Aged 55+ |
Visit news websites daily |
Visit news websites a few times a week |
Visit news websites about once a week |
Visit news websites less often |
Never visit news websites |
|
| Daily |
24% |
15% |
25% |
34% |
34% |
20% |
19% |
14% |
19% |
| A few times a week |
23% |
24% |
25% |
18% |
22% |
31% |
14% |
24% |
14% |
| About once a week |
22% |
20% |
22% |
24% |
19% |
28% |
37% |
15% |
14% |
| Less often |
22% |
30% |
19% |
16% |
19% |
15% |
24% |
39% |
17% |
| Never |
9% |
11% |
9% |
8% |
6% |
6% |
6% |
7% |
35% |
24% said they read newspapers daily and 69% read at least once a week.
Older respondents read newspapers more frequently – 34% of those aged 55+ read daily. 28% of those on higher incomes ($1,600+ pw) read daily compared to 18% of those earning under $600 pw.
Those who visit news websites frequently also read newspapers more frequently – 34% of those visiting news websites daily also read newspapers daily.
Visiting News Websites
Q. And how often do you visit news websites?
|
Total |
Aged 18-34 |
Aged 35-54 |
Aged 55+ |
Read news |
Read news |
Read news |
Read news |
Never read news |
|
| Daily |
39% |
39% |
39% |
38% |
54% |
38% |
34% |
33% |
26% |
| A few times a week |
23% |
25% |
25% |
18% |
19% |
31% |
29% |
16% |
15% |
| About once a week |
11% |
10% |
10% |
12% |
8% |
6% |
18% |
12% |
7% |
| Less often |
18% |
18% |
17% |
20% |
11% |
19% |
13% |
32% |
15% |
| Never |
10% |
8% |
9% |
12% |
8% |
6% |
6% |
8% |
37% |
39% said they visited news websites daily and 73% visit at least once a week.
Visiting news websites was similar across age groups but a little higher for those on higher incomes – 44% of those earning $1,600+ pw compared to 33% of those earning under $600 pw.
Those who read newspapers frequently also visit news websites more frequently – 54% of those reading newspapers daily also visit news websites daily.
Note that as this is an online survey, all respondents have access to the Internet.
Pay to Access News Websites
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 7 Nov 11 |
Total |
Aged 18-34 |
Aged 35-54 |
Aged 55+ |
Read The Aust |
Read SMH |
Read Tele |
Read The Age |
Read Herald Sun |
Read Courier mail |
|
| Total likely |
9% |
13% |
22% |
11% |
6% |
25% |
28% |
18% |
22% |
10% |
18% |
| Total not likely |
88% |
82% |
71% |
85% |
93% |
72% |
69% |
79% |
76% |
88% |
81% |
| Very likely |
2% |
3% |
5% |
3% |
1% |
12% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
4% |
5% |
| Somewhat likely |
7% |
10% |
17% |
8% |
5% |
13% |
21% |
12% |
17% |
6% |
13% |
| Not very likely |
18% |
17% |
16% |
18% |
17% |
19% |
18% |
19% |
21% |
19% |
13% |
| Not at all likely |
70% |
65% |
55% |
67% |
76% |
53% |
51% |
60% |
55% |
69% |
68% |
| Don’t know |
4% |
5% |
7% |
5% |
* |
3% |
3% |
4% |
2% |
2% |
2% |
13% of respondents said they would be very or somewhat likely to pay to access news websites – up from 9% recorded in November last year.
Younger respondents were more likely to be willing to pay for access to news websites – 22% of those aged under 35.
Current readers most likely to pay for access were readers of the SMH (28%), The Australian (25%) and The Age (22%).
Only 10% of HeraldSun readers said they would be likely to pay for access.
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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