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+.
ABC, free-to-air TV, media, News, Newspapers, pay TV, Radio, SBS, the media
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 »
ABC, Blogs, free-to-air TV, media, News, Newspapers, pay TV, Radio, SBS, the media
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 »
ABC, Blogs, free-to-air TV, media, News, Newspapers, pay TV, SBS, the media, trust in media
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 »
EMC, essential report, free-to-air TV, FTA TV, Live Sport, pay TV, TV coverage, TV ratings
Q. How often do you watch live sport on free-to-air TV?
Q. How often do you watch live sport on pay TV?
| FTA | Pay | |
| More than three times a week | 11% | 7% |
| Two or three times a week | 13% | 5% |
| About once a week | 21% | 8% |
| About once a month | 7% | 4% |
| Less often | 9% | 6% |
| It varies, depending on the time of year | 20% | 10% |
| Total watch | 80% | 39% |
| Never | 18% | 59% |
| Can’t say | 2% | 2% |
80% say they watch live sport on free-to-air TV and 39% watch on pay TV.
45% watch at least once a week on free-to-air TV and 20% watch at least once a week on pay TV.
57% of men and 31% of women watch on FTA TV at least once a week, while 25% of men and 14% of women watch on pay TV at least once a week.
The age groups most likely to watch FTA at least once a week are 18-24 (52%) and 35-44 (49%) while those least likely are 65+ (39%) and 25-34 (39%).
There were no substantial age differences for those watching on pay TV.
EMC, essential report, free-to-air TV, FTA TV, Live Sport, pay TV, TV coverage, TV ratings
Q. How would you rate the coverage of live sport on free-to-air TV?
Q. How would you rate the coverage of live sport on pay TV?
| FTA | Pay | |
| Total good | 77% | 80% |
| Total poor | 17% | 5% |
| Very good | 19% | 40% |
| Good | 58% | 40% |
| Poor | 14% | 3% |
| Very poor | 3% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 6% | 15% |
*Note : Percentages based on those who watch live sport on FTA/pay TV.
77% of those who watch sport on FTA TV rate the coverage good and 17% say it is poor. For watchers of pay TV, 80% say good and 5% poor.
40% of viewers rate pay TV “very good” compared to 19% for FTA TV.
For pay TV coverage, those watching more frequently are more likely to give higher positive ratings – for those viewing at least twice a week, 70% rated it very good, 26% good and only 1% poor or very poor.
For FTA TV coverage, of those viewing at least twice a week, 29% rated it very good, 48% good and 20% poor or very poor.