HKU POP SITE releases people's appraisal of local news mediaBack

The Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong today releases on schedule via the "HKU POP SITE" (http://hkupop.pori.hk) the latest figures of people's appraisal of the local news media. Some of the items are released online for the first time, including people's main source of news, the perceived trustworthiness of these sources and people's satisfaction with their performances. Since 1993, POP has been tracking people's appraisal of the news media, and all findings have been uploaded to "POP Site". As a general practice, they have been weighted according to census results. Recent figures on the overall performance of the news media are summarized as follows:

* "95% confidence level" means that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified.
** Collapsed from a 5-point scale.

Results of survey conducted in early May showed that, on a scale of 0-10, the latest credibility rating of the Hong Kong news media in general was 5.92 marks. Moreover, 56% of the respondents were satisfied with the freedom of the press in Hong Kong, 25% perceived the local news media to be responsible in their reporting, 64% believed the local news media had given full play to the freedom of speech, but 63% said they had misused or abused the freedom of press. Besides, those who thought the local news media had and had not practised self-censorship shared the same percentage of 39%, 27% of the respondents thought they had scruples when criticizing the HKSAR Government, whereas 54% thought they had scruples when criticizing the Central Government. As for the people's appraisal of various news channels, recent figures are summarized as follows:

* "95% confidence level" means that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified.
** Collapsed from a 5-point scale.
^ As respondents can choose more than 1 answer, figures in brackets ( ) indicate percentages of total responses, while other figures indicate percentages of total respondents. Only figures in brackets have been included in the original release.

Results of the mid-April survey showed that, 81% and 77%* of the respondents claimed their main source of news was the television and the newspaper respectively, while 57% thought the news reported by the former channel was the most trustworthy. Regarding people's appraisal of various news channels, 75% of the respondents were satisfied with the television, whereas 58% were satisfied with the radio. Comparatively speaking, people's satisfaction with the print media was lower, as the respective satisfaction rates of the newspaper and the magazine were 35% and 10% only. All in all, the latest satisfaction rate of the above news media in general was 54%.

* The percentages of respondents who claimed their main source of news was television and newspaper were 35% and 33% respectively in the original release.

Combining both sets of findings, Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, observed, "People's overall appraisal of the news media, both in terms of satisfaction and credibility, has not changed much over the year past. Our latest survey shows that their appraisal of the media's practice of press freedom continues to be two-sided. That the media have given full play to the freedom of speech, but that they have misused or abused press freedom, are both majority views. People are generally satisfied with the degree of press freedom in Hong Kong, but only a minority considers the news media responsible in their reporting. Regarding self-censorship, people's perception is divided. Most feel that the media become apprehensive when criticizing the Central Government, but few think that they become apprehensive when criticizing the SAR Government. On specific types of news media, television and newspapers continue to be people's main sources of news, followed by radio, which is increasingly challenged by the internet. In terms of trust and satisfaction, television continues to top the list, with magazines always on the low."

POP's normal practice is to release the results of our regular surveys every Tuesday at 2 pm via our POP Site, except during public holidays, each time with a forecast of the items to be released in the forthcoming week. We will review and adjust this operation regularly. The date and time of our next release of regular survey findings will be May 26, 2005, Thursday, at 2 pm, we will release the latest popularity figures of Acting CE Donald Tsang and the HKSAR Government. Then, on May 31, 2005, Tuesday, at 2 pm, the latest findings of our annual survey on the June Fourth Incident will be released.

Shall anyone have any question regarding the research design of the surveys published in the POP Site, members of the POP Team will be happy to answer them, but we will not further comment on the findings. Shall any person or journalist have any other questions, please email them to us at <[email protected]>. The Director of Public Opinion Programme would answer them as soon as possible. We will keep such an arrangement under constant review, suggestions most welcome. Please note that everything carried in the POP Site does not represent the stand of the University of Hong Kong. Dr Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, is responsible for everything posted herewith, except for column articles which represent the stand of their authors.