Sources of Political and Public Affairs most Watched, Listened, Talked by USA Elders

From Surveys nationwide Harris Poll of 1,179 U.S.Elders

 

                            TABLE 1

                WATCH OR LISTEN TO TALK SHOWS OR PUBLIC AFFAIRS

              "How often do you listen to talk shows on the radio?

    How often do you watch political or public affairs shows on television?"

     Base: All adults

                                                            Political or

                                     Talk Shows                Public

                                       on the                 Affairs

                                       Radio                  Shows on

                                                             Television

                                         %                       %

     Less than

      once a month                      54                      50

     Less than

      once a week

      but more than

      once a month                       9                      21

     Once or twice

      a week                            13                      16

     Three times a

     week or more                       25                      13

     Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding.

                                    TABLE 2

           TELEVISION CHANNEL TURN TO MOST OFTEN FOR NEWS RELATED TO

                           POLITICS OR PUBLIC AFFAIRS

   "When you want news or information related to politics or public affairs, which television channel do you turn to most often?"

    Base: All adults

                                                     Total        Media Usage

                                                               Heavy      Light

                                                      %          %          %

     CNN                                             20         22         21

     FOX News                                        18         39          8

     ABC                                              9          3         13

     NBC                                              8          4         11

     CBS                                              7          2          9

     MSNBC                                            5          7          4

     C-SPAN                                           3          4          2

     PBS                                              3          3          2

     CNBC                                             1          1          2

     Local cable news channel                         4          6          5

     Local broadcast news channel                     8          3         10

     Sunday morning shows (various

      broadcasts)                                     2          4          1

     Something else                                   4          3          4

     Don't watch news                                 7          -         10

     Note: Media usage defined:

      Heavy: Listen to talk radio and watch political/public affairs at least

             once a week

     Light: Listen to talk radio and watch political/public affairs at most 2-3

             times a month

                                    TABLE 3

         PROFILE OF VIEWERS OF TV CHANNELS WATCHED MOST OFTEN FOR NEWS

                        ABOUT POLITICS OR PUBLIC AFFAIRS

   "When you want news or information related to politics or public affairs, which television channel do you turn to most often?"

     Base: All adults

                                    Total    CNN     FOX    ABC     NBC    CBS

                                      %       %       %      %       %      %

     Political Party Affiliation

        Republicans                  29      19      63     21      27     27

        Democrats                    33      42      12     39      59     45

        Independents                 28      29      20     31      12     23

     Political Philosophy

        Conservative                 29      12      61     22      28     23

        Moderate                     50      61      35     63      46     63

        Liberal                      20      27       4     14      26     14

                                    TABLE 4

      WHICH TALK SHOWS HOSTS ARE MORE CRITICAL OF DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS

     "Thinking of the shows you listen to or watch the most, would you describe their host or hosts as more critical of the Democrats or more critical of the Republicans?"

     Base: Adults who listen to or watch talk shows at least once a month

                                                                 TV Channel Turn

                                                                 to Most Often

                              Political Party Affiliation         for Politics

                                                                   and Public

                                                                     Affairs

                     Total   Republicans  Democrats  Independents  CNN     FOX

                       %           %          %          %         %       %

     More critical

      of Democrats     22          27         24         18        19      28

     Equally critical

      of both          52          42         52         58        54      47

     More critical

      of Republicans   25          30         24         24        27      25

     Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100 percent due to rounding.

                                    TABLE 5

                     IS THERE A BIAS IN REPORTING OF NEWS?

     "Some have said there is a bias in the reporting of news in television,

 Radio or print (newspapers and magazines).Which comes closest to your opinion?"

      Base: All adults

                                 Political Party Affiliation

                       Total   Republican    Democrat     Independent

                         %         %            %              %

     There is a

      liberal

      bias in the

      media             38        66           18             36

     There is no

      bias in the

      media              5         1            8              7

     There is a

      conservative bias

      in the media      25        13           37             26

     Not at all sure    31        20           36             31

                                     Political Philosophy

                            Conservative    Moderate       Liberal

                                 %             %              %

     There is a

      liberal

      bias in the

      media                     62            35             10

     There is no

      bias in

      the media                  3             5              9

     There is a

      conservative bias

      in the media              13            24             47

     Not at all sure            22            36             34

     Note: Percentages add up to more than 100 percent due to multiple

 responses accepted.

     Base: All adults

                                                                    TV Channel

                                                                   turn to Most

                                             Total   Media Usage    Often for

                                                                  Politics and

                                                                 Public Affairs

                                                   Heavy  Light    CNN    FOX

                                               %       %      %      %      %

     There is a liberal bias in the media     38      54     31     33     69

     There is no bias in the media             5       7      4      9      1

     There is a conservative bias in the

      media                                   25      24     25     32     12

     Not at all sure                          31      15     41     26     19

     Note: Percentages add up to more than 100 percent due to multiple

 responses accepted.

     Note: Media Usage defined:

      Heavy: Listen to talk radio and watch political/public affairs at least

              once a week

      Light: Listen to talk radio and watch political/public affairs at most 2-

              3 times a month

                                    TABLE 6

              WHICH MEDIA HAS GREATEST BIAS IN REPORTING OF NEWS?

     "Of the three primary media - television, radio, and print (newspapers and magazines) - which one do you feel has the greatest bias in the reporting of news?"

      Base: Adults who say there is bias in the media

                                          Political Party Affiliation

                                  Total   Republican    Democrat  Independent

                                    %         %            %          %

     Television                    41        44           35         44

     Print                         17        27           10         12

     Radio                          7         2           11          9

     All are equally biased        31        25           35         31

     None is more biased

      than another                  4         2            7          3

     Not sure                       1         -            3          1

                                         Political Philosophy

                            Conservative     Moderate       Liberal

                                 %              %              %

     Television                 37             47             31

     Print                      22             15             10

     Radio                       2              7             16

     All are equally biased     35             27             33

     None is more biased

      than another               3              3              8

     Not sure                    -              2              3

     Note: Multiple response question.