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  • 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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  • 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 »

  • Nov, 2010

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    Watching Live Sport on TV

    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.

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  • Nov, 2010

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    Rating Coverage of Live Sport on TV

    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.

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