POB Survey: People Trust Television the Most and Usually Seek Information in Domestic and Russian Sources

Television is still the most important source of information, trusted by people the most, according to the Public Opinion Barometer (POB). The survey was presented by the Institute of Public Policies on Thursday, December 14.

According to the survey, about 70% of respondents watch television daily, including online. The Internet comes second, with 50% of respondents. Radio is the third in this rating, with a score of about 28%. Newspapers and books (including online) are read every day by about 7% of respondents.

In terms of importance of the media, 56% of respondents find television the most important. The Internet is of the most importance to 27%, radio – to 5%, and newspapers – to about 2% of respondents. The list of the most trusted sources of information includes television (with a score of about 50%), followed by the Internet (about 23%), and radio (about 5%). Newspapers are trusted by about 2%.

Interviewees also said what sources they usually use to get information about events in the country and abroad. Here, nearly 60% of respondents mentioned domestic TV and radio programs, and about 40% - Russian TV and radio programs. The Internet is used for information by about 22%, and social networking websites – by 16%. Romanian (European) televisions are a source of information for 14% of respondents. About 7% seek information in Moldovan newspapers and magazines, and 3% – in Russian.

The most watched television is PRIME TV (about 60%), followed by Moldova 1 (about 40%), and Jurnal TV (about 28%). RTR Moldova gathered 23%, PRO TV – 21.5%, Publika TV – 19.5%, NTV Moldova – 18.5%, Canal 2 - 12%, Canal 3 - 11.8%, TV8 – 4.5%, N4 – 3.3%. Euro TV and TVR Moldova are watched by 1.4% of respondents each.

The survey was conducted by the Center for Sociological Investigations and Marketing “CBS-AXA” between November 18 and December 5, 2017. Overall, 1,113 persons aged above 18 were interviewed.