Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

The word ‘blogger’ is known to most of Russians. The leading blogger is the blog of Dmitry Medvedev.

MOSCOW, July 19, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing whether Russians know who bloggers are; what they do; why they have blogs, as well as whether Russians know famous people who have their blogs in the Internet.

Most of Russians have heard the word ‘blogger’ (70%); 29% do not know what it means; the remainder say that blogger is someone who has a diary in the Internet – blog (29%).  Other definitions are as follows: people who express their opinion (5%), who share some information (3%), who communicate in the Internet (2%).  One percent of respondents call them loafers; 26% heard this word for the first time (remarkably, the share of such persons among active Internet users makes up 8%). Other 4% are hard to express their opinion.

Thirty-three percent of Russians can name famous persons who have their blogs in the Internet; the leading one is the blog of Dmitry Medvedev (20%).  blog of Vladimir Putin was cited by 8% of Russians having in mind the official site of the president in social networks. Respondents also mention the blogs of K.Sobchak (2%), A.Navalny (2%), M.Prokhorov (2%), V. Zhirinovsky (2%) et cet.

According to Russians, the blogs are aimed at sharing thoughts with other people (43%). Other reason is the desire to attract attention (35%). The third reason is people`s strive to communicate (27%).   Rarer respondents cite a tribute to fashion (18%), spending free time, creative self-expression (17%, per each), or earning some money (14%).

The VCIOM opinion polls were conducted on July 6-7, 2013. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Do you know who bloggers are, and what they do? Describe, please, in two or three words?

(open-ended question, any number of answers)

 

Total respondents

Using Internet every day

Using Internet from time to tome

Using Internet rarely or never

Those who have their diary in the Internet

29

49

33

9

People who express their opinion in the Internet

5

10

4

2

Sharing information in the Internet

3

1

3

1

Communicating in the Internet

2

6

4

1

Something  that deals with computers

1

3

3

1

Loafers

1

1

1

1

I heard this word but I do not know it

29

20

38

33

I hear this word for the first time

26

8

13

48

Other

1

1

 0

 0

Hard to tell

4

3

3

4

Do you know any famous people (politician/public figure/representative of show business) who have a blog? Name two or three persons, please. (open-ended question, up to three answers)

Medvedev

20

Putin

8

Sobchak

2

Navalny

2

Prokhorov

2

Zhirinovsky

2

Volochkova

1

Soloviev

1

Kirkorov

1

Pugacheva

1

Many famous people

2

Other

5

Hard to tell

67 

Blogger is someone who has his/her own diary in the Internet to post commentaries, photos et cet. Blog topics are different: politics, food, leisure, travelling. In your opinion, why do people have blogs?

 (close-ended question, not more than three answers)

 

Total respondents

Using Internet every day

Using Internet from time to tome

Using Internet rarely or never

Creative self-expression

17

26

16

10

Sharing thoughts and information with other people

43

57

48

29

Attracting attention to oneself

35

44

39

26

Spending free time

17

20

19

14

Earning money

14

14

15

14

Communicating with people

27

31

30

21

It is trendy now

18

17

20

16

Other

1

1

1

1

Hard to tell

9

1

2

20 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com. as well as distributed by VCIOM.

The reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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