Thursday, January 20, 2011

Where Do You Get Your News?

I've written a couple times about getting the news here (Pinhole of Ignorance, Fox News Addict).  Even though I acknowledge that staying well informed is extremely important.  I am really bad at doing so.  I could use the excuse that newspapers are too expensive and too far behind the times by the time they are printed, I suppose.  I could use the excuse that I only get PBS over broadcast TV, I suppose.  I could just use the excuse that the news depresses me and to stay sane I avoid it, I suppose.  But no matter what I come up with I'd just be making excuses for the real fact - I'm too lazy to pursue the news.

Regardless of the fact that I get most of my news in inconsistent bits and segments (when the alarm goes off in the morning, while driving to and fro about town, when I am bored and watch BBC World News or whatever's on PBS World, and whatever tidbits friends post on facebook.)  No matter where you get the news, there is always some sort of bias.  PBS does their best to avoid bias, and once upon a time at least CNN did too.  I've heard otherwise and apparently men seem to think that, although women still have faith in CNN.  However, while everyone was enamored with Fox News last year (and I was even a participant in that phone interview which was interesting since I didn't have access to most of the stations in question), they have gracefully fallen in this year's survey by Public Policy Polling.

This year's poll (pdf file of full analysis) has some very interesting correlations.  There is a very clear distinction between trust and distrust of Fox News and political party/political leanings.  Of course this distinction is making all of the headlines.  If you are Republican/Conservative you tend to trust Fox News.  If you are Democrat/Liberal you strongly distrust Fox News and if you are Independent/Moderate you distrust Fox News.  There is no gender difference in this instance, nor age difference.  That's pretty strong right there and it's right to grab  all the headlines.

I don't really have a lot to say, I just really wanted to share this fun poll.  I love surveys.  I hope to add some here very soon.  Of course when I do they won't be even close to scientifically accurate, but it'll be fun right?  Anyway, if you are bored check out that PDF file!  I had so much fun looking at it last night that it inspired me to post this, except that my son fell asleep before I got this written, which is why this is posted at such a random time.

Anyway, I have a cake or 3 to bake and work to do and some beta testing to finish.  I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...