Bias and content: what do we think of the media?

We’re not impressed with our media, or so it seems. Only 17% of Australians aged 14 and over – down 1% since August 2004 – think the media is doing a good job “covering elections and controversial topics without bias”, new Roy Morgan research has found.

Fifty two per cent (unchanged) think the media is doing a fair job, 27% (down 1%) think the media is doing a poor job while 4% are undecided.

The media fails our bias test and doesn’t seem to be telling us what we want to know.

Only 28% (down 5% since August 2004) says the media was doing a good job “keeping Australians informed on subjects that Australians should know about”, compared to 24% (up 2%) who think the media is doing a poor job.

Respondents were asked: “Firstly, covering elections and controversial topics without bias. Is the media doing a good, fair or poor job?”

Analysis by age shows that, although still low, Australians aged 14-17 were more complimentary of the media, with 24% saying the media is doing a good job at “covering elections and controversial topics without bias”. Thirty per cent of men say the media is doing a poor job at “covering elections and controversial topics without bias” compared to 25% of women.

Respondents were then asked: “And keeping Australians informed on subjects that Australians should know about. Is the media doing a good, fair or poor job?”