Survey: 70% of Japanese find newspapers reliable
About 70% of people find newspapers to be a reliable source of information, the highest percentage among 13 media categories, according to a survey.
The survey was conducted online by the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association on May 26 and 27 in light of the current flood of incorrect information regarding the novel coronavirus.
The 1,243 respondents ranged from 15 to 79 years old and came from all across the nation. Of the questions included, one asked about the credibility of 13 categories of media, such as newspapers and television. The survey results were announced on Thursday.
The ratio of those who replied that newspapers are either “reliable” or “rather reliable” was 69.5%, followed closely by television at 66.8% and radio at 56.7%. The perceived reliability of social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, stood at 15.4%.
Regarding news items encountered either online or through social media, 46.9% of respondents said that they either “confirm” or “almost always confirm” which media source they originated from.
As for the credibility of such items, 56.5% of respondents answered that newspapers are either “reliable” or “rather reliable,” with television following at 48.9%.
