The coronavirus epidemic has seen a significant increase in the consumption of news in mainstream media in all countries we have conducted surveys. Television news as well as online sources have experienced substantial increases. Television has become the primary source of news for many people, offering some relief from the constant decline. Lockdowns have made it difficult to release printed newspapers. This has increased the trend towards digital media. The use of social media and online has risen dramatically across a wide range of countries. WhatsApp has seen the greatest growth with an increase of around 10 percent in some countries. In addition over half (51 percent) of the people surveyed were part of an open or closed online group to exchange information and take part in local support communities.
In all nations, trust in the coverage of media on COVID-19 was quite high at the time of April of 2020. This is comparable to the trust levels of national government officials but significantly higher than the level of individual politicians. For more information about COVID-19 trust in the media was greater than that for video platforms, social media as well as messaging services. From our larger data set that was gathered in January, global concerns about misinformation remain high. More than half of our global population was worried about news on the internet, even before the coronavirus epidemics. The most prominent politicians in the United States are often cited as the source of misinformation , those who are right-wing, like in the United States, are more likely to not blame the media. Facebook is seen almost everywhere as the main channel to spread inaccurate facts. WhatsApp is however more accountable in places like Brazil and Malaysia.
In our January poll across countries less than four percent of 10 (38%) reported that they trust the majority of news most of the time - down four percentage points over the year. More than half (46%) stated that they are confident in the news they use themselves. Public broadcasters are witnessing their popularity eroded by political partisans of both the right- and left-leaning political sides, due to the growing political polarisation and uncertainty. Our study indicates that 60 percent of Americans prefer news that doesn't have any particular view, and only 28% of them prefer news which reinforces or supports their opinions. The number of partisans has risen in the United States since we last asked this question in 2013, but even here a silent majority appears to be searching for news that at the very least is objective.
A majority (52 percent) prefer that media would be more prominent in reporting false statements made to them by politicians, rather than not highlighting them (29 percent). The public is less comfortable watching political ads via social media or search engines than they are with TV advertisements. A majority (58%) prefer to have platforms that prevent false statements, even though it means they have the power to decide on the ultimate decision. The United States has seen significant increase in payments for online news, with an increase of 42% in Norway (+8) and 20 percent growth in the United States (+4). Other markets have seen smaller increases. It is vital to keep in mind that news on the internet is free for most people across all countries. Some publishers may have experienced a coronavirus-related increase.
For subscribers, the most important thing is the quality and originality of the information. Subscribers feel they get better information. However, most people are satisfied with the data they obtain at no cost. We also notice an extremely high percentage of nonsubscribers (40 percent in the US and 50% in the UK) and claim that they cannot convince their to pay. In countries with higher levels of pay (e.g. In countries with greater levels of payment (e.g. Norway and the USA) there is one-third to half of all subscriptions go directly to a handful big national brands. This indicates that there is still an all-or-nothing dynamic. But in both these countries an increasing number of customers are buying more than one subscription, and often by adding a local or specialized publication. For radio Unirea FM 107,2 MHz A Romanian commercial radio station. The station has an agenda that is focused on 60 percent news from all regions and 40% music. The main elements that are appealing to viewers are news programs from the county and specialized programs, in addition to talk shows. These people are interested in stories, contests and interviews However, they also are attracted to cultural shows and debates, entertainment, music.
Four in ten (44%) of the weekly news stories about a particular country are written by local newspapers. Our research shows that Facebook, and other social media platforms, are used, on an average of about 25% (31%), to provide local information and news. This adds additional pressure on companies and their business model. News access is becoming more widespread. Only 28 percent of all people prefer to start their news journeys on a website or an app. Generation Z, a group of people aged 18-24, prefers to use social networks to access news over apps and websites. The use of news on Instagram has nearly tripled across all age groups in the past year and is expected to outdo Twitter within the next year.
To counter the move to different platforms, publishers are looking to build direct connections with consumers via mobile and email alerts. One-in-five Americans (21 percent) check their news emails each week. More than half who do this utilize it as their primary means of getting information. Northern European nations have taken longer to get on board with news services via email. Just 10% of people use Finnish news via email. The use of podcasts has increased in the past year, the coronavirus lockdowns may have temporarily stopped this trend. All countries surveyed (50 percent) were of the opinion that podcasts offer more understanding and depth than other forms of media. Meanwhile, Spotify has become the most popular destination for podcasts across many markets, outdoing Apple's Podcast app.
In spite of the fact that seven out of 10 (69%) agree that climate change is the greatest threat to our lives however, a large majority of Americans, Sweden, Australia and Australia disagree. The majority of this group are more conservative, and often older. Younger groups access much of their climate news from social media and also by following activists like Greta Thunberg. The popularity of voice-activated smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo or Google Home continues to rise. In the UK, usage for all purposes has increased from 14%-19% to 19 percent, Germany from 7%-12% and South Korea from 9%-13%. However, news usage remains in the low range in all markets.