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Trust in Media

2 May 2011

Q. How much would you say you trust each of the following media sources to provide you with the news and information you want about Australian politics?

A lot/some trust
Total a lot/some trust Total not much/no trust A lot of trust Some trust Not much trust No trust at all Don’t know Aged 18-34 Aged 35-54 Aged 55+
ABC TV 76% 15% 29% 47% 9% 6% 9% 73% 77% 79%
SBS 70% 15% 24% 46% 10% 5% 15% 69% 72% 67%
ABC radio 69% 17% 25% 44% 11% 6% 14% 66% 71% 71%
Daily newspapers 53% 40% 6% 47% 31% 9% 7% 52% 53% 52%
Commercial TV 45% 48% 4% 41% 35% 13% 7% 42% 48% 44%
Sky News 41% 25% 7% 34% 17% 8% 34% 46% 42% 34%
Commercial radio 40% 48% 4% 36% 34% 14% 12% 34% 44% 41%

The most trusted media for news and information about politics were ABC TV (76%), SBS (70%) and ABC radio (69%). The least trusted were commercial radio and commercial TV (both 48% not much or no trust).

Those aged 18-34 tended to have more trust in Sky News (46%) but less trust in commercial radio (34%).

The major differences by voting intention were that Liberal/National voters have more trust in commercial TV (52%), Sky News (48%) and commercial radio (49%).

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