Trust in information
Q. How much trust do you have in the following for information on major public issues like immigration, climate change or the economy?
|
A lot of trust |
Some trust |
Not much trust |
No trust at all |
Don’t know |
Don’t use |
|
| What I see on TV news and current affairs |
5% |
50% |
30% |
11% |
3% |
1% |
| What I hear on radio news and current affairs |
5% |
51% |
30% |
8% |
3% |
4% |
| What I hear on radio talkback |
5% |
35% |
31% |
17% |
3% |
9% |
| What I read in newspapers or online news sites |
5% |
51% |
32% |
8% |
2% |
2% |
| What politicians say |
1% |
12% |
39% |
43% |
3% |
2% |
| What I see online on blogs and social media |
2% |
20% |
39% |
22% |
5% |
11% |
| What I hear from friends and family |
10% |
53% |
26% |
6% |
5% |
1% |
| What I hear in my workplace |
3% |
37% |
34% |
10% |
4% |
11% |
| What I learn from my own research |
35% |
50% |
6% |
2% |
2% |
4% |
|
Total lot/some of trust |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| What I see on TV news and current affairs |
55% |
54% |
59% |
40% |
| What I hear on radio news and current affairs |
56% |
53% |
61% |
34% |
| What I hear on radio talkback |
40% |
34% |
46% |
26% |
| What I read in newspapers or online news sites |
56% |
59% |
58% |
48% |
| What politicians say |
13% |
21% |
8% |
14% |
| What I see online on blogs and social media |
22% |
23% |
23% |
24% |
| What I hear from friends and family |
63% |
58% |
66% |
63% |
| What I hear in my workplace |
40% |
39% |
43% |
42% |
| What I learn from my own research |
85% |
86% |
86% |
83% |
85% have a lot or some trust in what they learn from their own research, 63% in what they hear from friends and family, 56% in newspapers and radio and 55% in TV news and current affairs. Only 13% have a lot or some trust in what they hear from politicians and 22% have a lot/some trust in blogs and social media.
Labor voters tend to have a little more trust in newspapers while Liberal/National voters have a little more trust in radio and TV news and current affairs. Liberal/National voters also have above-average trust in radio talkback.
Trust in Media
Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?
| Total a lot/some
15 Mar 10 |
Total a lot /some
25 Jul 11 |
Total a lot /some | A lot of trust | Some trust | Not much trust | No trust at all | Don’t know | Don’t use | |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 62% | 53% | 46% | 3% | 43% | 32% | 13% | 3% | 5% |
| News and opinion in local newspapers | – | 54% | 52% | 4% | 48% | 29% | 11% | 3% | 5% |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 64% | 48% | 43% | 5% | 38% | 34% | 19% | 3% | 2% |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 70% | 71% | 72% | 23% | 49% | 14% | 6% | 3% | 5% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 54% | 46% | 45% | 4% | 41% | 30% | 15% | 3% | 6% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 62% | 67% | 67% | 19% | 48% | 14% | 6% | 3% | 10% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 38% | 33% | 33% | 5% | 28% | 32% | 22% | 3% | 10% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 45% | 47% | 47% | 7% | 40% | 28% | 9% | 3% | 13% |
| News and opinion websites | 49% | 41% | 38% | 3% | 35% | 36% | 14% | 4% | 9% |
| Internet blogs | 20% | 20% | 17% | 1% | 16% | 37% | 25% | 5% | 15% |
Since July, trust in media has dropped for daily newspapers (-7%) and commercial TV news and current affairs (-5%).
ABC TV news and current affairs has the highest number of people who have a lot/some trust (72%). This is followed by ABC radio news and current affairs (67%).
The lowest level of trust was recorded for internet blog (17%). This was followed by commercial radio talkback programs (33%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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