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 »
Channel 10, Foxtel, Government regulation, James Packer, media, media ownership, the media
Q. James Packer recently bought a major shareholding in Channel 10. Should James Packer be allowed to become a major shareholder in Channel 10 while he is also a major shareholder in Foxtel?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should be allowed | 28% | 27% | 36% | 18% |
| Should not be allowed | 24% | 27% | 21% | 29% |
| Don’t care | 38% | 36% | 36% | 46% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 10% | 7% | 7% |
Nearly half either don’t care or don’t know whether James Packer should be allowed to become a majority shareholder in Channel 10. Of those with an opinion, views are split 28% should be allowed and 24% should not. 36% of those on low incomes (under $600pw) think he should not be allowed. Comments »
Government regulation, media, media ownership, newspaper, Newspapers, the media
Q. Rupert Murdoch owns most of Australia’s metropolitan newspapers including the Australian, Herald Sun, the Telegraph and the Courier Mail. Should the Government allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should allow | 15% | 13% | 20% | 12% |
| Should not allow | 50% | 56% | 47% | 56% |
| Don’t care | 26% | 24% | 25% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 9% | 8% | 8% | 6% |
50% think Rupert Murdoch should not be allowed to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers and only 15% think he should be allowed. Those most strongly opposed were aged 55+ (61%) and people earning over $1,600pw (55%). Comments »
ABC, Channel 10, Channel 7, Channel 9, media, News, Sky News, the media, trust, trust in media
Q. How much trust do you have in the news and current affairs on the following TV channels?
| A lot of trust | Some trust | Not much trust | Don’t know | |
| ABC | 42% | 42% | 9% | 6% |
| Channel 7 | 8% | 53% | 33% | 6% |
| Channel 9 | 8% | 54% | 31% | 6% |
| Channel 10 | 7% | 55% | 31% | 6% |
| Sky News | 12% | 40% | 17% | 31% |
42% say they have a lot of trust in the ABC news and current affairs and 42% have some trust. Only 9% have not much trust.
Levels of trust in the free-to-air commercial channels are similar – less than 10% have a lot of trust and over 30% say they have not much trust in them.
Sky News is trusted more than the other commercial channels – 12% say they have a lot of trust and only 17% have not much trust.
Highest levels of trust in the ABC are shown by men (47% a lot of trust), Greens voters (62%) and Labor voters (48%) and those on income over $1,600pw (49%). Comments »
banks, business lobby, environment, mining, the media, trust, trust in group, unions
Q. And how much trust do you have in the following groups to represent the interests of people like you?
| Total a lot/some trust | A lot of trust | Some trust | A little trust | No trust at all | Don’t know | |
| Environment groups | 38% | 8% | 30% | 28% | 22% | 11% |
| Unions | 33% | 8% | 25% | 27% | 30% | 10% |
| Business lobby groups | 21% | 4% | 17% | 30% | 35% | 15% |
| Religious groups | 20% | 5% | 15% | 24% | 43% | 13% |
| Mining companies | 20% | 2% | 18% | 27% | 40% | 13% |
| Banks | 15% | 2% | 13% | 26% | 49% | 10% |
| The media | 14% | 1% | 13% | 33% | 43% | 9% |
38% said they have a lot or some trust in environment groups and 33% have a lot/some trust in unions. Banks (15%) and the media (14%) were the least trusted groups.
49% had no trust at all in banks and 43% had no trust at all in religious groups and the media.
51% of Labor voters have trust in unions and 47% have trust in environment groups. The most trusted groups for Liberal/National voters are mining companies (32%) and business lobby groups (31%). Comments »
media, privacy, the media, trust in media
Q. There have been some recent situations where a politician has resigned from their position or their party after some aspects of their sexual behaviour were made public by the media. Is it appropriate for the media to reveal details of a political figure’s private life?
| Yes, in all circumstances | 12% |
| Yes, in some circumstances | 42% |
| No, not at all | 38% |
| Don’t know | 8% |
A majority (54%) believe it is appropriate for the media to reveal details of a political figure’s personal life in some or all circumstances. 12% think details should be revealed in all circumstances and 42% in some circumstances. 38% say details of a political figure’s personal life should not be revealed at all. 64% of Liberal/National voters and 50% of Labor voters approved revealing details of political figure’s personal life in some or all circumstances. Greens voters were split 50% some/all, 50% not at all. There were no substantial demographic differences. Comments »
media, the media, trust in media
If answered “in some circumstances” –
Q. Is it appropriate for the media to reveal details of a political figure’s private life in any of the following circumstances?
| Yes | No | Don’t know | |
| Where there is a public interest due to impact on the politician’s work or taxpayers’ resources | 92% | 5% | 3% |
| Where the politician has acted in a way clearly at odds with their publicly expressed views | 88% | 8% | 4% |
| Where a politician’s personal choices are unusual or not considered mainstream | 20% | 67% | 14% |
Sample = 457
The majority of those who approved revealing details in some circumstances agreed that details could be revealed where there is a public interest due to impact on the politician’s work or taxpayers’ resources (92%) or where the politician has acted in a way clearly at odds with their publicly expressed views (88%). However, revealing details where a politician’s personal choices are unusual or not considered mainstream was only acceptable to 20%. Comments »