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+.
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 »
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 »
Media usage
Q. How frequently do you read, listen to or watch the following?
| Daily | Several times a week | About once a week | Less often | Never | Don’t know | |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 48% | 27% | 12% | 8% | 5% | 1% |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 26% | 22% | 24% | 16% | 11% | 1% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 24% | 22% | 13% | 20% | 19% | 1% |
| News and opinion websites | 23% | 22% | 17% | 19% | 17% | 2% |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 19% | 21% | 18% | 23% | 18% | 1% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 15% | 13% | 10% | 28% | 33% | 2% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 13% | 12% | 12% | 26% | 36% | 1% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 8% | 10% | 10% | 26% | 45% | 2% |
| Internet blogs | 6% | 9% | 13% | 29% | 41% | 3% |
Commercial TV news and current affairs was the most used news and opinion media (48% watch daily). 26% read newspapers daily, 24% commercial radio news and current affairs and 23% news and opinion websites.
Newspapers tend to be read more by older people (38% of 65+ years read daily). 65% of those aged 55+ watch commercial TV news and current affairs daily. Internet news and opinion websites have similar patterns of usage across age groups but internet bogs are mostly used by those aged under 35 (10% daily) Comments »
Trust in media
Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?
| A lot | Some | Not much | None | Don’t know/use | |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 25% | 45% | 14% | 3% | 13% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 20% | 42% | 15% | 4% | 19% |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 9% | 55% | 26% | 5% | 5% |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 9% | 53% | 26% | 4% | 7% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 7% | 47% | 29% | 6% | 10% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 6% | 39% | 24% | 5% | 25% |
| News and opinion websites | 5% | 44% | 31% | 6% | 15% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 3% | 35% | 32% | 11% | 19% |
| Internet blogs | 2% | 18% | 40% | 15% | 25% |
ABC TV and radio news and current affairs were the most trusted media (25% and 20% respectively have a lot of trust).
Commercial TV news and current affairs programs have the highest consumption, but only 9% say they have a lot of trust in them.
And although consumption of newspapers and internet news sites is very similar, newspapers are considered more trustworthy (62% compared to 49% have a lot/some trust in them). Comments »
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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