Metro adults want independent media - survey

TNS surveyed 2000 adults living in metro areas at the beginning of September 2010 and asked them to agree or disagree with the same statement posed in October 2006.

The study also asked people to agree or disagree with the statement, "The media help to expose corruption." The level of agreement with this statement was 75% - essentially the same as the 74% obtained in the 2006 study. Thirteen percent disagreed and 12% again gave a "don't know" response.

Demographic differences

While there are differences between race groups, these are much smaller than usual - the feeling cuts across all race groups:

It is important to have independent media - agree

• Blacks -78% (up from 69% in 2006)
• Whites - 89% (slightly up from 85% in 2006)
• Coloureds - 83% (up from 70% in 2006)
• Indians/Asians - 84% (same as the 85% in 2006)
• There are no differences by age but people that are more affluent feel somewhat more strongly.
• There are some differences by area with people in Pretoria and Bloemfontein feeling more strongly about this issue whilst those in Durban and the Vaal Triangle/South rand were somewhat less concerned.

The media helps to expose corruption - agree

• Blacks -75% (76% in 2006)
• Whites - 71% (65% in 2006)
• Coloureds - 73% (78% in 2006)
• Indians/Asians - 89% (78% in 2006)
• People that are more affluent showed an increase in response here over the four-year period.
• People in Soweto gave a higher response in the 2010 study whilst those in the Vaal Triangle/South Rand but there are few other demographic differences.

It is clear that the role of the media in providing balanced and unbiased news coverage and in exposing corruption is seen to be very important and this importance has grown in the last four years. The government's intention to amend the Information Act would appear to be a move most people would oppose.

The study conducted amongst 2000 adults (1260 blacks, 385 whites, 240 coloureds and 115 Indians/Asians) in the seven major metropolitan areas: it has a margin of error of under 2.5% for the results found for the total sample. It was conducted as part of the research house's ongoing research into current social and political issues and was funded internally.