In every country where surveys were conducted, coronavirus has dramatically raised the amount of news read by major media. The number of people who use news on television as their primary source of news has increased dramatically as more people identify the channel as their primary source of information. This brief respite is welcome after a long period of decline. Lockdowns have made it difficult to distribute printed newspapers. This has led to a rapid transition to an electronic future. Although the number of people using social media and online platforms has significantly increased across many countries however, lockdowns have affected their use. WhatsApp had the highest growth, with an increase of approximately ten percent in certain nations. Over half (51 percent) of the people surveyed utilized an open or closed group on the internet to connect, share information or participate in an online support system for local residents.
The confidence in the media's coverage about COVID-19 as it pertains to particular politicians was high across all countries at the same level as national government. In the case of COVID-19 data, trust among media was twice as high on social networks, messaging services, and video platforms than it was for the media. The global concern about misinformation remains high as per the bigger data set we gathered in January. Even before the coronavirus epidemic hit, more than half of our global sample said they were concerned about what's true or false on the internet in relation to information. Politicians in the United States are the most often cited source of false information, but in certain countries - including the United States - people who identify as right-wing tend to blame the media. as part of an 'pick-your-side' mentality.
Facebook is thought to be the most effective platform for disseminating false information almost everywhere but WhatsApp is believed to be more accountable in some parts of the Global South such as Brazil and Malaysia.
In our survey conducted in January across all countries less than four percent of ten (38%) reported that they trust the majority of news the majority of the time - an increase of four percentage points over the year. Only 46 percent of those polled said they trust information they've used. The rising uncertainty and political polarisation has led to a decline in trust in broadcasters that are public which are under attack from both sides. Our research suggests that 60 percent of people still prefer news without a particular view and only 28 percent would prefer news to reinforce or share their opinions. Partisan preferences have slightly increased in the United States since we last asked this question in 2013, but even here a silent majority seems to be looking for news that at the very least is objective.
The majority of people (52 percent) would prefer media to expose false statements from politicians (29%) as they adapt to changing communication styles. The public is less comfortable watching political ads on search engines and social networks as they are on TV. A majority (58%) would prefer for platforms to not show ads with false statements. There have been significant increases in the amount of money paid for online news in a number of countries such as the United States 20% (+4) and Norway 42 percent (+8) and Norway 42% (+8), as well as less significant increases in a variety of other markets. It is important to remember that online news is still free for most people across all countries. Some publishers might have reported a 'coronavirus increase.
The most significant aspect for people who subscribe is the uniqueness and quality of the content. Subscribers are convinced that they receive superior information. A large majority of subscribers are happy with the content they receive for no cost. However, we also see a significant number of non-subscribers (40% USA and 50% UK) who feel paying would be impossible. More payment levels are found in countries like the USA and Norway, where there is more of a percentage of subscribers. About a third to half of subscriptions are given to national brands in countries like Norway, the USA as well as Norway. This indicates that there are still winners and winners and losers. However, in these two countries, a significant majority of people now subscribe to multiple publications and typically include a specialist or local publication. For radio Unirea FM Romanian commercial radio station. It has a format that is composed of 60% news from different areas and 40% music. The current program lineup focuses on news from the county and special shows as well as talk shows. They are attracted by stories, contests and interviews However, they also are drawn to shows that focus on culture and debates, entertainment, music.
The majority of countries remain the most trusted source of news on a particular area or city. In fact 4 out of 10 (44%) of all visits to the web are made by local newspaper. However, we found that Facebook and the other social media platforms are currently utilized by a third (31%) of people who use local news and information. This is putting more pressure on businesses and their business models. Access to news is getting more widespread. Across all countries there is a small gap in the number of people who (28 percent) prefer to start their journey to news via an app or website. Generation Z (those between 18-24) prefer social media over websites and apps. They are a weaker relationship to websites and apps, and are twice as likely to be more inclined to read news via these platforms. Instagram has seen an increase in news-sharing across all age groups. It is likely that Instagram will surpass Twitter within the next 12 months.
Publishers have been working to connect directly via mobile alerts and email to counter the shift to different platforms. An astounding 21 percent of Americans use weekly news-email. For more than half of them, it's their primary way to access information. Northern European nations were slow to adopt news-related email services. Finland has only 10 percent who utilize news via email. The number of users of podcasts has grown significantly over the past year, although coronavirus lockdowns may temporarily reverse this trend. All countries surveyed (50 percent) were of the opinion that podcasts offer greater understanding and depth than other forms of media. In addition, Spotify has become the number one destination for podcasts in several markets, overtaking Apple's podcast app.
Although nearly seven out of ten (69 percent) agree that climate change is a serious threat in the near future, a substantial majority of Americans, Sweden, Australia and Australia are not in agreement. These people of older age tend to be more right-leaning. Younger people can access a lot more information about climate change via social media or by following activists like Greta Thunberg. Smart speakers that can be controlled by voice like the Amazon Echo and Google Home continue to grow rapidly. In the UK, usage for all purposes has increased from 14%-19% to 19%, Germany from 7%-12% and South Korea from 9%-13%. We have found that the use of news remains low in every country, despite this.