Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Television continues to be the main source of information which is also the most reliable. However, Russians are less interested in the news programs in recent years.


MOSCOW, May 4, 2016.  Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of the survey devoted to the most popular and trustworthy media sources mentioned by Russians.

Most of Russians keep the track of political and economic events nationally and abroad (66%); however, the percentage of those who keep a close watch on the everyday agenda is 21%. They are mainly retired persons: 38% versus 10-13%; 45% follow news from time to time.

The basic source of national news is still television; however it is getting less popular (62% in 2015; 57% in 2016). Simultaneously, the Internet (information websites, social media and blogs) is used by 27% of respondents (22% in 2015).  This average figure is likely to grow in the future because for the time being the World Wide Web is the main source of news for 62% of the 18-24-year-olds and 47% of those aged 25-34. Radio, newspapers and magazines are mentioned rarer (3%, 3% and 1%, respectively).

Every fifth Russian (21%) says that modern news programs are not as interesting as they were several years ago; this figure has doubled compared to 2011 (8% in 2011). At the same time, the percentage of those who oppose them has considerably decreased: 34% today versus 55% in 2011.

But it does not prevent the central television programs from being an unconditional leader in the media trust rating. Today the trust index* regarding central television is 52 p., in a range between -100 and 100 p., (to compare, in 2007 it was 53 p.): three-quarters of Russians (75%) trust this media. The level of trust in regional television is lower (37 p.); however, the general percentage of respondents who favor this type of media is 65%. As to other media, less than half of Russians trust them; an absolute outsider is foreign programs, newspapers, magazines, etc. The trust index is negative (-42 p.); although this indicator has strengthened (from -56 p. in 2015), it is far from the 2007 level (21 p.).

In case there is a controversy in information provided by different media sources, the one that most of Russians (53%) choose is television; however there has been a decrease in the share of those who opt for television (60% in 2013). Twenty-two percent prefer websites and blogs. Russians also trust more in the “word of mouth” (7%) than the traditional mass media such as radio (3%), newspapers (2%) and magazines (less than 1%).

*Mass Media Confidence Index describes the level of trust in mass media. The higher the value of index is, the higher more reliable the media is. The Index is based on the question “Do you trust in the following mass media?”; the index is a difference of positive and negative answers, and can vary between -100 and 100 points.

The VCIOM survey is conducted on January 16-17, 2016, in 130 settlements, 46 regions and republics and 9 federal districts of Russia. The survey is based on community-based formalized face-to-face interviews and involved 1600 respondents, aged 18 and over. The margin of error is 3.5% at the 95% confidence level. The survey is conducted with multi-stage stratified sample based on general rule of walking and quotas at the final selection stage (representative Russian sample include sex, age, education and type of settlement). Apart from the margin of error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the field work should be taken into account.

Are you interested in national and international political and economic news?

(closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

Total respondents 

Aged  18-24

Aged  25-34

Aged  35-44

Aged  45-59

Aged  60 and more

Yes, I am interested; I look for such news

21

10

13

15

23

38

I am interested but from time to time

45

42

48

52

45

40

No, I am not interested at all

33

46

36

32

32

22

Don’t know

1

2

3

1

0

0

What is the main source of national news for you?

(closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

2014

2015

2016

Television

60

62

57

Internet – news, analytical, official websites  

23

16

16

Internet – social networks, blogs *

-

6

11

Conversations with people

4

5

6

Newspapers

7

3

3

Radio

5

4

3

Magazines

0

0

1

None of the above-mentioned

1

4

3

* In 2014, this answer option was not offered

How much are you interested today in information and news programs - more, less or at the same levle as several years ago? (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

2011

2016

Definitely more interested

20

12

Rather more

35

22

At the same level   

31

42

Rather less

7

13

Definitely less 

1

8

Don’t know

6

3

Do you trust in the following mass media?

(closed-ended question, one answer, mass media confidence index, in points)

 

2007

2012

2015

2016

Central television

53

58

53

52

Regional, local television

36

51

40

37

Central print media 

36

27

22

12

Online news, analytical, official websites *

-

 -

7

9

Central radio

33

22

30

7

Regional, local print media

24

24

18

7

Regional, local radio

20

11

21

3

Social media, online blogs  *

-

 -

-12

-4

Foreign media

21

-22

-56

-42

* In 2007, 2012, this answer option was not offered

Do you trust in the following mass media?

 (closed-ended question, one answer per each line, % of all respondents in 2016)

 

Yes

Rather yes

Rather no

No 

Don’t know

Central television

42

33

12

10

3

Regional, local television

33

32

14

14

7

Central print media 

22

24

16

19

19

Central radio

19

21

12

20

28

Regional, local print media

19

25

17

20

19

Online news, analytical, official websites

19

25

14

22

20

Regional, local radio

16

20

13

22

29

Social media, online blogs 

16

22

17

25

20

Foreign media

6

9

18

39

28

If radio, television, newspapers and magazines report the conflicting information on the same event, what source of information do you trust most? (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

2013

2015

2016

Television

60

55

53

Internet – news, analytical, official websites 

22

13

15

Internet – social networks, blogs *

-

5

7

Conversations with people *

-

8

7

Newspapers

6

4

3

Radio

4

3

2

Newspapers

1

1

0

Don’t know; none of the above-mentioned

7

11

13

* In 201, this answer option was not offered

Note: Using materials from the website 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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