media use in the european union · the methodology used is that of the eurobarometer surveys...

Standard Eurobarometer 78

Autumn 2012

MEDIA USE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

REPORT

Fieldwork: November 2012

This survey has been requested and co-ordinated by Directorate-General for Communication

(DG COMM “Research and Speechwriting” Unit).

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm

This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission. The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors.

Standard Eurobarometer 78 / Autumn 2012 – TNS Opinion & Social

STANDARD EUROBAROMETER 78 MEDIA USE – AUTUMN 2012

0

Standard Eurobarometer 78 Autumn 2012

Media use in the European Union

Survey carried out by TNS Opinion & Social at the request of the European Commission, Directorate-General Communication

Survey coordinated by the European Commission, Directorate-General Communication “Research and Speechwriting” Unit


1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 2

I. MEDIA USE AND TRUST IN THE MEDIA ..................................................................................... 4

1. Media use ............................................................................................................................ 4

2. Trust in the media .............................................................................................................. 12

II. LEVELS OF INFORMATION ON EUROPEAN MATTERS .............................................................. 25

III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR POLITICAL MATTERS AND THE EUROPEAN UNION .............. 28

1. National political matters ................................................................................................... 28

2. European political matters ................................................................................................. 32

3. Active European Union information searches ..................................................................... 36

4. Media coverage of the European Union ............................................................................. 39

IV. SOCIAL NETWORKS ................................................................................................................ 46

ANNEXES

Technical specifications


2

INTRODUCTION

This Standard Eurobarometer survey was carried out between 3 and 18 November 2012

in 34 countries and territories1: the 27 Member States of the European Union, the six

candidate countries (Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey,

Iceland, Montenegro and Serbia), and the Turkish Cypriot Community in the part of the country not controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus.

This survey analyses the use of media by Europeans and their relationship with

information regarding the European Union. It also analyses evolutions since autumn 2011 (Standard Eurobarometer 762).

This survey focuses on:

- The use of media by Europeans;

- The trust that they have in the various media, and in the credibility of the

information sources available on the Internet;

- Whether they feel informed about European matters;

- Preferred sources of information about national and European matters, and in

which to search for information on the European Union;

- Public opinion of the way in which the national media cover issues concerning the

European Union;

- What Europeans expect in terms of online sources of information on the European

Union;

- Their views on social networks and their contribution to political information and

to the relationship between citizens and politics.

The full Standard Eurobarometer report consists of several volumes. This first volume

analyses the results of the historical indicators of the Standard Eurobarometer survey.

Four other volumes present the state of European public opinion on other themes: the

financial and economic crisis; the Europe 2020 strategy; European citizenship; and the

present volume on media use in the European Union.

The general analysis and the socio-demographic analyses are based on the results at the

level of the average of the 27 Member States. This average is weighted so that it reflects

the population of each Member State. The averages for previous years represent the

results obtained in all the Member States of the European Union, as it was composed at the time the survey was conducted.

1 Please consult the technical specifications for the exact dates of the fieldwork in each country 2 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb76/eb76_media_en.pdf


3

The methodology used is that of the Eurobarometer surveys carried out by the

Directorate-General Communication (“Research and Speechwriting” Unit)3. A technical

note on the way that interviews were conducted by the member institutes of the TNS

Opinion & Social network is annexed to this report. It also specifies the confidence intervals4.

The following abbreviations are used in this report:

ABBREVIATIONS BE Belgium LV Latvia CZ Czech Republic LU Luxembourg BG Bulgaria HU Hungary DK Denmark MT Malta DE Germany NL The Netherlands EE Estonia AT Austria EL Greece PL Poland ES Spain PT Portugal FR France RO Romania IE Ireland SI Slovenia IT Italy SK Slovakia CY Republic of Cyprus*** FI Finland LT Lithuania SE Sweden UK United Kingdom CY (tcc) Turkish Cypriot Community

HR Croatia EU27 European Union – weighted average of the 27 Member States

TR Turkey

MK Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia****

EU15 BE, IT, FR, DE, LU, NL, DK, UK, IE, PT, ES, EL, AT, SE, FI*

IS Iceland NMS12 BG, CZ, EE, CY, LT, LV, MT, HU, PL, RO, SI, SK**

ME Montenegro Euro area

BE, FR, IT, LU, DE, AT, ES, PT, IE, NL, FI, EL, EE, SI, CY, MT, SK

RS Serbia Non-euro area

BG, CZ, DK, LV, LT, HU, PL, RO, SE, UK

* EU15 refers to the 15 European Union Member States before the enlargements of 2004 and 2007

** The NMS12 countries are the 12 “new Member States” that joined the European Union at the time of the 2004 and 2007 enlargements

*** Cyprus as a whole is one of the 27 European Union Member States. However, the “acquis communautaire” has been suspended in the part of the country which is not controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. For practical reasons, only the interviews carried out in the part of the country controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus are included in the “CY” category and in the EU27 average. The interviews carried out in the part of the country that is not controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus are included in the “CY(tcc)” (tcc: Turkish Cypriot Community) category)

**** Provisional abbreviation which in no way prejudges the definitive name of this country, which will be agreed once the current negotiations at the United Nations have been completed

* * * * *

We wish to thank all the people interviewed throughout Europe who took the time to participate in this survey.

Without their active participation, this survey would not have been possible.

3 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm 4 The results tables are annexed. It should be noted that the total of the percentages indicated in the tables in this report may exceed 100% when the respondent was able to choose several answers to the same question.


4

I. MEDIA USE AND TRUST IN THE MEDIA

– Although television is still by far the most widely used medium, the Internet has gained significant ground. Europeans still trust radio the most–

1. Media use

Television is still by far the most popular medium with Europeans5: 87%6 watch it every

day or almost every day (unchanged since the autumn 2011 Standard Eurobarometer

survey, EB76). In total, 97% of Europeans watch it at least once a week (-1 percentage point).

Europeans still mainly watch television on a TV set (97% at least once a week,

unchanged). Fewer than two in ten Europeans watch it via the Internet (17% at least once a week, +1 since autumn 2011).

In all categories of the population, a large majority of respondents watch television

on a TV set every day or almost every day, but this is even more strikingly so among

those aged 55 or over (92% every day or almost every day) and pensioners (94%), and

slightly less the case among young people in the 15-24 age group (77%) and students

(71%). Although the differences are less pronounced, television viewing habits vary

slightly according to the respondent’s level of education: 92% of Europeans who left

school before the age of 16 watch television every day or almost every day, compared with 83% of those who studied up to the age of 20 or beyond.

5 QE3: Could you tell me to what extent you watch television on a TV set/watch television via the Internet/listen to the radio/read the written press/use the Internet/use online social networks (Every day, Almost every day/Two or three times a week/About once a week/Two or three times a month/Less often/Never) 6 Aggregated proportion of Europeans who watch television every day or almost every day on a TV set or via the Internet


5

Everyday\ Almost

everyday

Two or three times a week + About once a

week

Two or three times a month + Less often

NeverNo access to this medium

(SPONTANEOUS)Don't know

At least once a week

EU27 86% 11% 2% 1% 0% 0% 97%

15-24 77% 17% 4% 2% 0% 0% 94%

25-39 82% 13% 3% 2% 0% 0% 95%

40-54 86% 11% 2% 1% 0% 0% 97%

55 + 92% 6% 1% 1% 0% 0% 98%

15- 92% 5% 2% 1% 0% 0% 97%

16-19 88% 9% 2% 1% 0% 0% 97%

20+ 83% 12% 3% 2% 0% 0% 95%

Still studying 71% 22% 5% 2% 0% 0% 93%

Self-employed 82% 13% 3% 2% 0% 0% 95%

Managers 82% 13% 3% 2% 0% 0% 95%

Other white collars 82% 14% 2% 2% 0% 0% 96%

Manual workers 85% 12% 2% 1% 0% 0% 97%

House persons 90% 7% 2% 1% 0% 0% 97%

Unemployed 89% 7% 2% 2% 0% 0% 96%

Retired 94% 5% 0% 1% 0% 0% 99%

Students 71% 22% 5% 2% 0% 0% 93%

Occupation scale

QE3.1 Could you tell me to what extent you…?

Watch television on a TV set

Age

Education (End of)

At least three-quarters of the people polled watch television on a TV set every day or

almost every day in all the Member States. Respondents in Finland (79%) are the least

likely to watch television on a daily or near-daily basis, while respondents in Bulgaria and

Portugal are the heaviest TV users (94%).

The countries where respondents are the most likely to watch television via the

Internet (17% of Europeans citizens do so at least once a week) are Sweden (44% do

so at least once a week, +10 percentage points), Finland (35%, +6), Denmark (29%,

+7), Ireland (27%, +9), the United Kingdom (27%, +1), Latvia (26%, +10) and the Netherlands (25%, +2).

Of the socio-demographic groups, young people (14% every day or almost every day

among 15-24 year-olds, compared with an average of 7%) and students (15%) are the most likely to watch TV via the Internet.


6

Iceland stands out among the candidate countries for the high proportion of

respondents who watch television via the Internet (40% at least once a week, +7), and

the lower than average proportion who watch TV every day on a TV set (75% compared with an EU average of 86%).

Everyday\ Almost

everyday


week





EU27 7% 10% 14% 63% 6% 0% 17%

15-24 14% 19% 19% 45% 3% 0% 33%

25-39 10% 15% 18% 54% 3% 0% 25%

40-54 5% 9% 15% 67% 4% 0% 14%

55 + 3% 4% 6% 74% 12% 1% 7%

15- 2% 3% 3% 77% 14% 1% 5%

16-19 6% 9% 12% 67% 6% 0% 15%

20+ 9% 14% 20% 54% 3% 0% 23%

Still studying 15% 22% 19% 42% 2% 0% 37%

Self-employed 10% 11% 17% 59% 3% 0% 21%

Managers 10% 16% 22% 50% 2% 0% 26%


Manual workers 7% 11% 14% 64% 4% 0% 18%

House persons 4% 6% 7% 73% 10% 0% 10%

Unemployed 7% 10% 12% 64% 7% 0% 17%

Retired 2% 3% 5% 75% 14% 1% 5%

Students 15% 22% 19% 42% 2% 0% 37%

Occupation scale


Watch television via the Internet

Age

Education (End of)

Radio remains the second most widely used medium by Europeans. After declining

between autumn 2010 and autumn 2011 (-5 percentage points for daily use), the

proportion of radio listeners has increased slightly: 53% listen to it every day or almost

every day, +2, and in total 77% of Europeans do so at least once a week (+1).

Europeans aged 40 to 54 are the most likely to listen to the radio every day or almost

every day (58%, compared with 52% of those aged 55 or over and 43% of 15-24 year-

olds). The most educated respondents also tend to be more regular radio listeners (61%

of those who studied up to the age of 20 or beyond compared with 41% of those who left

school before the age of 16), as are managers (68% versus 56% of white collar workers, 55% of manual workers, 41% of housepersons and 40% of unemployed people).

There are pronounced differences between countries: at least seven out of ten

respondents listen to the radio every day or almost every day in Belgium (71%),

Germany (70%) and Ireland (70%), while far fewer do so in Romania (28%), Portugal (26%) and Bulgaria (25%).


7

Striking evolutions include a decline in daily or almost daily radio consumption in Ireland

(-10), though it remains high (70%). In contrast it has risen sharply in Malta (61%, +13).

There are also significant differences between candidate countries: the proportion of

respondents who listen to the radio every day or almost every day is very high in Iceland

(83%), and slightly below the European average in Croatia (47%, compared with a

European average of 53%) and Montenegro (46%) where it has increased significantly

since autumn 2011 (+9). It is lower in Serbia (30%) and the Former Yugoslav Republic

of Macedonia (18%), but lowest in Turkey (9%).

Everyday\ Almost

everyday


week





EU27 53% 24% 11% 12% 0% 0% 77%

15-24 43% 31% 14% 12% 0% 0% 74%

25-39 52% 27% 12% 9% 0% 0% 79%

40-54 58% 23% 11% 8% 0% 0% 81%

55 + 52% 20% 11% 16% 1% 0% 72%

15- 41% 25% 12% 21% 1% 0% 66%

16-19 54% 24% 12% 10% 0% 0% 78%

20+ 61% 22% 10% 7% 0% 0% 83%

Still studying 44% 32% 14% 10% 0% 0% 76%

Self-employed 62% 21% 10% 7% 0% 0% 83%

Managers 68% 20% 8% 4% 0% 0% 88%


Manual workers 55% 24% 11% 10% 0% 0% 79%

House persons 41% 28% 12% 18% 1% 0% 69%

Unemployed 40% 29% 14% 16% 1% 0% 69%

Retired 51% 20% 11% 17% 1% 0% 71%

Students 44% 32% 14% 10% 0% 0% 76%

Occupation scale


Listen to the radio

Age

Education (End of)

More than seven out of ten Europeans read the written press at least once a week

(71%, =), but respondents are still less likely to read the press than listen to the radio

(37% read a newspaper every day or almost every day, +1 percentage point, while 53% listen to the radio).

The older the respondents are the more likely they are to read the written press every

day or almost every day (22% of 15-24 year-olds ‘every day’ or ‘almost every day’,

29% of 25-39 year-olds, 39% of 40-54 year-olds and 46% of those aged 55 or over).

The most educated Europeans (46% of those who studied up to the age of 20 or beyond,

versus 31% of those who left school before the age of 16) and managers (54%) are also more likely to read the written press.


8

More than 80% of respondents read the written press at least once a week in Ireland

(83%), the Netherlands (84%), Germany (87%), Luxembourg (90%), Finland (92%), Austria (93%) and Sweden (95%).

However, respondents in Greece (41%) and Romania (51%) are less likely to read the

written press.

Everyday\ Almost

everyday


week





EU27 37% 34% 16% 13% 0% 0% 71%

15-24 22% 39% 24% 15% 0% 0% 61%

25-39 29% 39% 19% 13% 0% 0% 68%

40-54 39% 35% 15% 11% 0% 0% 74%

55 + 46% 27% 12% 15% 0% 0% 73%

15- 31% 29% 15% 24% 1% 0% 60%

16-19 36% 35% 17% 12% 0% 0% 71%

20+ 46% 34% 12% 8% 0% 0% 80%

Still studying 24% 39% 25% 12% 0% 0% 63%

Self-employed 42% 33% 16% 9% 0% 0% 75%

Managers 54% 31% 10% 5% 0% 0% 85%


Manual workers 32% 37% 18% 13% 0% 0% 69%

House persons 23% 32% 20% 24% 1% 0% 55%

Unemployed 23% 36% 21% 20% 0% 0% 59%

Retired 45% 27% 12% 16% 0% 0% 72%

Students 24% 39% 25% 12% 0% 0% 63%

Occupation scale


Read the written press

Age

Education (End of)

A clear majority of Europeans also use the Internet at least once a week (69%). This

proportion has increased significantly since autumn 2011 (+5 percentage points). More

than half of Europeans now use the Internet every day or almost every day (54%), a six-

point rise between autumn 2011 and autumn 2012.

The proportion of Europeans who never use the Internet has fallen (27%, -3 percentage

points): 22% (+1) “never” use it and 5% (-4) say spontaneously that they do not have Internet access.

The use of the Internet on a daily or almost daily basis decreases significantly with age

(85% of 15-24 year-olds, 70% of 25-29 year-olds, 56% of 40-54 year-olds and 28% of

those aged 55 or over). However, it has increased in all categories since autumn 2011 (+6 among the youngest respondents, but also +5 among those aged 55 or over).

This daily (or almost daily) use of the Internet remains particularly widespread among

managers (83%, +4), but it is also prevalent, and has increased significantly, among

white-collar workers (71%, +6); it is less widespread among manual workers (53%),

despite a six-point rise.


9

Everyday\ Almost

everyday


week





EU27 54% 15% 4% 22% 5% 0% 69%

15-24 85% 10% 2% 2% 1% 0% 95%

25-39 70% 18% 3% 8% 1% 0% 88%

40-54 56% 20% 5% 17% 2% 0% 76%

55 + 28% 12% 5% 45% 10% 0% 40%

15- 18% 11% 5% 54% 12% 0% 29%

16-19 49% 19% 6% 22% 4% 0% 68%

20+ 73% 14% 3% 8% 2% 0% 87%

Still studying 92% 6% 1% 1% 0% 0% 98%

Self-employed 66% 16% 4% 12% 2% 0% 82%

Managers 83% 13% 2% 2% 0% 0% 96%


Manual workers 53% 21% 6% 17% 3% 0% 74%

House persons 35% 17% 7% 35% 6% 0% 52%

Unemployed 54% 16% 3% 22% 5% 0% 70%

Retired 23% 10% 5% 50% 12% 0% 33%

Students 92% 6% 1% 1% 0% 0% 98%

Occupation scale


Use the Internet

Age

Education (End of)

The use of the Internet on a daily or almost daily basis has gained ground in all European

countries, but there are still significant differences: respondents in the Netherlands (83%

use the Internet every day or almost every day, +2 percentage points), Sweden (83%,

+1) and Denmark (81%, +1) are the heaviest users. The proportion of users has

increased steeply in Spain (54%, +14), Belgium (64%, +12) and Malta (55%, +11).

Although the use of the Internet has also increased in Bulgaria (38%, +5), Greece (38%,

+7), Cyprus (38%, +6), Romania (32%, +4) and Portugal (29%, +6), user numbers remain on the low side.


10

The use of online social networks has also increased in the European Union: 42% of

Europeans say they do so at least once a week, an increase of seven percentage points

since autumn 2011. More than a quarter of Europeans now use social networks on a daily

or almost daily basis (27%, +7). Nevertheless, more than four out of ten Europeans

“never” use social networks (43%, -1). This reflects the fact that the proportion of

respondents who answered spontaneously that they do not have access to them has fallen significantly (6%, -5).

The generation gap is even more pronounced on this question than for the use of the

Internet, and seems to have widened since autumn 2011: 66% of 15-24 year-olds use

online social networks every day or almost every day, an increase of 10 percentage

points, as compared with 40% of 25-39 year-olds (+11), 21% of 40-54 year-olds (+7)

and 6% of those aged 55 or over, among whom this practise has increased more modestly (+2).


11

In terms of occupational categories, white-collar workers are the most likely to use social

networks every day or almost every day (33%, +8), followed by unemployed people (32%, +8), and now manual workers (29%, +9), just ahead of managers (28%, +5).

Everyday\ Almost

everyday


week





EU27 27% 15% 9% 43% 6% 0% 42%

15-24 66% 19% 5% 9% 1% 0% 85%

25-39 40% 24% 10% 24% 2% 0% 64%

40-54 21% 18% 11% 47% 3% 0% 39%

55 + 6% 5% 7% 68% 14% 0% 11%

15- 8% 7% 4% 64% 17% 0% 15%

16-19 24% 17% 9% 45% 5% 0% 41%

20+ 29% 20% 12% 37% 2% 0% 49%

Still studying 72% 16% 4% 8% 0% 0% 88%

Self-employed 26% 19% 13% 38% 3% 1% 45%

Managers 28% 23% 14% 35% 0% 0% 51%


Manual workers 29% 18% 10% 39% 4% 0% 47%

House persons 19% 12% 8% 52% 9% 0% 31%

Unemployed 32% 16% 8% 38% 6% 0% 48%

Retired 5% 4% 5% 70% 16% 0% 9%

Students 72% 16% 4% 8% 0% 0% 88%

Occupation scale


Use online social networks

Age

Education (End of)

The daily or almost daily use of social networks has gained ground in all Member States

except for Poland. It is particularly widespread in Latvia (44% of respondents use social

networks every day or almost every day, +6), Denmark (43%, +6), Sweden (43%, +8)

and the Netherlands (42%, +6). The proportion using social networks every day or

almost every day has increased very markedly in Spain (35%, +14), Ireland (31%, +12)

and Malta (39%, +10).The number of online social network users has increased more

moderately in Portugal (19%, +8) and Romania (18%, +5). Finally, Poland is the only

country where the use of social networks is unchanged (17%).

In the candidate countries:

- Iceland stands out for its very high rates of use of both the Internet (94% of respondents use it at least once a week) and social networks (77%).

- In Turkey, although Internet use is below the EU average, it has increased

significantly (42%, +7). The use of social networks has increased even more

(39%, +10) and is now close to the European average (42%).


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2. Trust in the media

The order in which Europeans rank the media in terms of trust7 has not changed since

the Standard Eurobarometer survey of autumn 2011 (EB76), but there has been a general decrease in the trust placed in them.

- Radio still inspires the most trust (54%, versus 38% who distrust it), but has lost three percentage points since autumn 2011.

- Although trust in television has fallen by five percentage points, a narrow majority of respondents still trust it (48%, versus 47% who distrust it, +5).

- The written press is ranked third. Only a minority of Europeans trusted it in autumn 2011 and even fewer do so now (40%, -3, versus 54%, +3).

- Although the use of the Internet has increased, trust has declined (35%, -2,

versus 44% who distrust it, +5). Although the “DK” rate has decreased, it remains high at 21% (-3).

The Internet inspires trust among only a small majority of respondents in certain

categories of the population, despite the fact that they are the heaviest users of this

medium: young people (49%, versus 45% who distrust it) and white-collar workers

(48% versus 42%). Further, despite being regular Internet users, only a minority of

managers trust it (41% versus 51%).

7 QA11 I would like to ask you a question about how much trust you have in certain institutions. For each of the following institutions, please tell me if you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it.


13

Education which, as noted, has a strong influence on media use, also creates significant

differences. For example, trust in radio, the press and the Internet increases with the

respondent’s level of education: among those who studied up to the age of 20 or beyond,

it stands at 60% for radio, 47% for the press and 44% for the Internet (compared with

45%, 33% and 16% respectively among those who left school before the age of 16).

Levels of trust are similar in the case of television (49% for the most educated and 47% for the least educated).

Trust is far lower among the respondents with financial difficulties: irrespective of the

medium tested, trust is systematically lower among the respondents who struggle to pay their bills almost all the time than among those who almost never have such difficulties.

Internet Télévision Radio The press

EU27 35% 48% 54% 40%

Male 39% 48% 55% 42%

Female 32% 49% 53% 38%

15-24 49% 47% 54% 40%

25-39 46% 46% 54% 40%

40-54 36% 48% 55% 41%

55 + 20% 51% 53% 40%

15- 16% 47% 45% 33%

16-19 34% 49% 53% 38%

20+ 44% 49% 60% 47%

Still studying 54% 46% 59% 46%

Self-employed 42% 45% 54% 41%

Managers 41% 51% 64% 48%

Other white collars 48% 50% 56% 44%

Manual workers 38% 49% 53% 37%

House persons 29% 49% 49% 36%

Unemployed 34% 39% 44% 33%

Retired 18% 52% 53% 40%

Students 54% 46% 59% 46%

Most of the time 28% 40% 40% 28%

From time to time 37% 45% 49% 38%

Almost never 35% 52% 59% 44%

QA11 I would like to ask you a question about how much trust you have in certain institutions. For each of the following institutions, please tell me if you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it.

Answer - 'Tend to trust'

Occupation scale

Difficulties paying bills

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

A majority of respondents trust radio in 22 Member States (versus 23 in the autumn

2011 Standard Eurobarometer). The exceptions, most of which record an increase in

distrust, are Greece (70% distrust it, +9), Spain (52%, +11), Italy (47%, +5), Hungary

(49%, +2) and Malta (46%, despite a fall of 3 percentage points). As a result of these increases a majority of respondents in Spain and Hungary now distrust radio.

Respondents in Sweden (80%), Finland (77%) and Denmark (73%) are the most likely to trust radio.


14

Note that although a clear majority of respondents trust radio, levels of trust are slightly

lower than in these three Nordic countries in the three countries with the highest radio

consumption: Belgium (63% listen to it every day or almost every day), Germany (62%) and Ireland (59%).

Lastly, trust in radio has increased significantly in Portugal (60%, +8).


15

Tend to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Tend not to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

EU27 54% -3 38% +3

SE 80% = 18% =

FI 77% -1 19% =

DK 73% = 23% -1

AT 71% +3 24% -1

SK 71% -4 26% +4

NL 70% = 22% =

EE 68% -3 24% =

CZ 66% -4 29% +4

BE 63% -7 35% +7

DE 62% -4 31% +3

PT 60% +8 32% -5

IE 59% -5 34% +2

LU 59% -2 34% +2

PL 59% +2 34% -1

LV 56% -2 33% =

FR 54% -6 38% +4

CY 54% -4 41% +2

UK 54% = 37% -2

LT 52% -5 37% +2

BG 51% = 34% +4

RO 51% -6 39% +7

SI 50% -2 48% +3

HU 46% -1 49% +2

IT 39% = 47% +5

ES 38% -12 52% +11

MT 36% = 46% -3

EL 28% -8 70% +9

CY (tcc) 55% -5 31% -2

IS 77% -2 21% +1

ME 48% -2 36% -2

HR 39% -5 54% +5

RS 35% NA 52% NA

MK 28% -3 48% =

TR 24% -5 59% +2

QA11.2 I would like to ask you a question about how much trust you have in certain institutions. For each of the following institutions, please tell me

if you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it. Radio


16

A majority of respondents trust television in 20 Member States (down from 22 Member

States in autumn 2011), led by Finland (72%), Austria (70%) and Sweden (70%).

However, only a minority do so in Greece (only 15% trust it), Italy (37%), Malta (40%)

and France (40%). Respondents who trust television are also now in the minority in

Lithuania (46%) and Hungary (48%) – where trust was predominant in autumn 2011 -,

but also in Spain, where trust has fallen sharply since autumn 2011 (28%, -13), despite the fact the respondents in Spain report high rates of daily television consumption.

Spain is not the only country where trust in television has fallen sharply; this is also the

case in Belgium (62%, -10) and Romania (53%, -8).


17

Tend to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Tend not to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

EU27 48% -5 47% +5

FI 72% -4 25% +3

AT 70% -2 26% =

SE 70% -3 28% +3

EE 69% -3 26% =

BG 68% -5 29% +5

PT 66% +6 32% -3

SK 66% -3 32% +3

CZ 64% -7 34% +7

DK 63% -5 35% +5

NL 63% -3 34% +5

BE 62% -10 37% +10

LV 58% -1 36% -2

DE 55% -4 39% +4

LU 54% +2 41% -3

PL 54% -3 40% +3

IE 53% -7 41% +5

RO 53% -8 44% +8

CY 52% -4 47% +4

SI 51% -1 47% +1

UK 49% -4 47% +4

HU 48% -4 50% +5

LT 46% -7 48% +6

FR 40% -2 57% +2

MT 40% -1 49% =

IT 37% -3 54% +5

ES 28% -13 68% +13

EL 15% -7 84% +7

CY (tcc) 63% +2 31% -5

IS 74% -3 24% +3

ME 55% -8 40% +5

MK 49% -3 49% +4

RS 40% NA 55% NA

HR 39% -6 57% +6

TR 36% +1 59% =


if you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it. Television


18

A majority of respondents trust the written press in only nine Member States:

Austria (63%), Finland (62%), the Netherlands (57%), Slovakia (57%), Luxembourg

(54%), Portugal (54%), the Czech Republic (53%), Estonia (53%), but also Belgium

(50%), despite a sharp fall (-10 percentage points), whereas they did so in 13 Member

States in the Standard Eurobarometer survey of autumn 2011. Only a minority now

trusts the written press in France (47%, -4 versus 48% who distrust it, +5), Denmark

(47%, -3 versus 51%, +4), Germany (47%, -3 versus 48%, +3) and Romania (41%, -5 versus 52%, +8).

Trust in the written press has also fallen sharply in Spain (30%, -11) and Ireland (33%, -10).

Respondents in Greece (20%), the United Kingdom (21%) and Malta (29%) are the least likely to trust the written press.


19

Tend to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut.

2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Tend not to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut.

2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

EU27 40% -3 54% +3

AT 63% +4 32% -4

FI 62% -2 36% +1

NL 57% -3 40% +3

SK 57% -5 39% +3

LU 54% -7 42% +5

PT 54% +5 40% =

CZ 53% -4 42% +2

EE 53% = 41% -2

BE 50% -10 48% +10

DK 47% -3 51% +4

DE 47% -3 48% +3

FR 47% -4 48% +5

PL 45% +1 49% +2

SE 43% -2 55% +1

BG 42% = 46% +2

CY 42% -5 49% +2

SI 42% +3 55% -3

LV 41% +1 51% -4

RO 41% -5 52% +8

LT 40% -2 53% +1

HU 36% -1 60% +3

IT 35% +1 54% +1

IE 33% -10 57% +6

ES 30% -11 62% +10

MT 29% -1 51% -1

UK 21% +3 75% -4

EL 20% -8 77% +7

CY (tcc) 59% = 36% -2

ME 53% -5 41% +2

IS 52% -1 46% +1

RS 36% NA 58% NA

MK 29% -5 55% =

HR 28% -6 67% +7

TR 28% -2 64% +2

QA11.1 I would like to ask you a question about how much trust you have in certain institutions. For each of the following institutions, please tell me if

you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it. The press


20

Respondents are less likely to trust the Internet than the other media. Nevertheless,

trust outweighs distrust in 13 Member States. That was the case in 18 Member States in

autumn 2011: distrust is now the majority response in Belgium (39%, -5 versus 52%,

+10), Greece (41%, -1 versus 43%, +5), the Netherlands (42%, -9 versus 44%, +9) and Slovenia (43%, -1 versus 46%, +9).

Trust in the Internet is particularly high in Slovakia (56%), the Czech Republic (55%)

and Denmark (54%); in the latter two countries, it is higher than for the written press

(53% and 47% respectively). However levels of trust are far lower and have actually

fallen in Germany (26%, -1), France (28%, -5), the United Kingdom (30%, -4), Sweden (30%, -5), Spain (32%, -2) and Ireland (32%, -6).

Note that Spain is among the countries where respondents are the least likely to trust

not only the Internet but also the other media. In Greece, although trust in the other

media is low, 41% of respondents trust the Internet compared with an EU average of

35%.


21

Tend to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Tend not to trust

Diff.EB 78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

EU27 35% -2 44% +5

SK 56% -1 27% =

CZ 55% -6 27% +3

DK 54% -5 35% +8

EE 50% +1 25% -2

PL 46% = 31% +3

FI 44% -5 39% +4

SI 43% -1 46% +9

BG 42% +2 21% +1

LV 42% = 34% -1

NL 42% -9 44% +9

EL 41% -1 43% +5

HU 41% = 37% +5

MT 41% +6 25% -8

AT 41% -2 41% +2

LT 40% -3 30% +2

BE 39% -5 52% +10

CY 39% +4 33% +3

IT 38% +1 43% +3

PT 36% +7 40% +1

LU 35% -1 47% =

RO 34% -2 30% =

IE 32% -6 49% +8

ES 32% -2 44% +4

SE 30% -5 59% +5

UK 30% -4 52% +6

FR 28% -5 55% +9

DE 26% -1 50% +7

CY (tcc) 52% +7 31% -15

IS 47% +8 43% -8

ME 39% -12 32% +9

MK 37% -6 30% +5

RS 36% NA 45% NA

HR 33% = 40% =

TR 26% +2 53% -2


if you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it. The Internet


22

In the candidate countries, Iceland and Montenegro stand out in that a majority of

respondents trust all the media. However, in Serbia, Croatia and above all in Turkey, a

majority of respondents distrust each of the four media tested. In the Former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia, a majority of respondents distrust three of the four media (radio,

the written press and the Internet); however, opinion is evenly divided on television

(49% versus 49%).


23

The credibility of Internet sources

Internet users, representing 73% of the total sample, were next asked for their views on

the credibility of various Internet sources8. A majority of Europeans trust

institutional and official websites more than other sites (38%, unchanged since the

Standard Eurobarometer survey of autumn 2011, whereas only 15% trust them less than

other websites, -2). The proportion of Internet users who said spontaneously that they

do not distinguish between institutional and official websites and other websites has

increased slightly to 25% (+3). One in ten Internet users said spontaneously that they “don’t trust what’s on the Internet” (10%, +1).

Base: Europeans who use the Internet and/or social networks: 73% of the sample

Internet users in Denmark (72%), Sweden (71%) and the Netherlands (64%) are the

most likely to trust institutional and official websites. These are also countries in which the use of the Internet is particularly widespread.

8 QE8 Which of these two statements on the Internet is closer to your opinion? You trust institutional and official websites more than other websites; You trust institutional and official websites less than other websites; You make no difference between institutional and official websites and other websites (SPONTANEOUS); You don't trust what's on the Internet (SPONTANEOUS); DK.


24

As in autumn 2011, Greece is the only country in which a majority of Internet users are

more likely to trust non-institutional websites (24% compared with 20% for institutional

websites). However, a significant number of respondents in Greece answered spontaneously that they do not distinguish between the two (41%).

Respondents who use the Internet daily or almost daily are far more likely to trust

institutional websites than other websites (42% versus 15% who prefer other websites).

Occasional users are more divided in their views (28% versus 16%), but were much

more likely that average to say spontaneously that they do not trust what is posted on

the Internet (15% versus 10% on average); they were also least likely to answer the question (17% versus 12% on average).

You trust institutional and official websites more than other

websites

You trust institutional and official websites less than other

websites

You make no difference between

institutional and official websites

and other websites

(SPONTANEOUS)

You don't trust what's on the

Internet (SPONTANEOUS)

DK

EU27 38% 15% 25% 10% 12%

15-24 41% 15% 26% 7% 11%

25-39 38% 18% 26% 7% 11%

40-54 37% 14% 26% 11% 12%

55 + 35% 14% 22% 13% 16%

15- 25% 15% 23% 16% 21%

16-19 32% 15% 27% 12% 14%

20+ 46% 15% 23% 7% 9%

Still studying 44% 15% 26% 4% 11%

Every day or almost 42% 15% 26% 7% 10%

Between 1 and 3 times a week 28% 16% 24% 15% 17%

Less often 18% 11% 20% 20% 31%

QE8 Which of these two statements on the Internet is closer to your opinion?

Age

Education (End of)

Use the Internet


25

II. LEVELS OF INFORMATION ON EUROPEAN MATTERS

- A clear majority of Europeans continue to believe that they are ill-

informed about European matters -

Three-quarters of Europeans believe that citizens in their country are not well-

informed about European issues (75%, +2) and 68% consider that they are

personally ill-informed (+2)9. Therefore, less than a quarter of Europeans believe that

people in their country are well-informed about European matters (22%, -2) and less than a third feel that they are personally well-informed (31%, -2).

In almost all the Member States, only a minority of respondents feel there is sufficient information on European matters, both nationally and personally.

The exceptions, where a sense of being well-informed has increased, are Luxembourg

(56% think that citizens in their country are well-informed, +8, and 54% feel that they

are personally well-informed, +2) and Denmark, but only personally (51%, +7, versus 44% at national level, +4).

Feelings of being well-informed have also gained ground in Malta (45%, +9, at national

level and 45%, +6, at personal level), but have fallen sharply in Italy (15%, -9 and 23%, -9) and Portugal (16%, -9 and 22%, -6).

9 QE1 Overall, to what extent do you think that in (OUR COUNTRY) people are well-informed or not about European matters?/QE2 And overall, to what extent do you think that you are well-informed or not about European matters?


26

The countries in which respondents are the most critical of levels of information on

European matters are Greece (84% of respondents consider that citizens in their country

are not well-informed and 76% think that this also applies to them personally), Spain (84% and 78%), France (82% and 75%) and Portugal (80% and 77%).

In the candidate countries, respondents are also most likely to be critical of levels of

information on European matters. However, the proportion of respondents who feel that

they are personally well-informed is above the European average (notably 46% in

Montenegro, 45% in Iceland and 44% in Turkey, compared with an EU average of 31%).

A socio-demographic analysis reveals the traditional division on questions regarding

personal levels of information. The following categories are more likely to consider that

they are personally well-informed:

- Men (37%) compared with women (26%).

- The most educated Europeans (42% of those who studied up to the age of 20 or

beyond) compared with those who left school before the age of 16 (19%).

- Managers (47%, versus 35% of white-collar workers, 26% of manual workers and

22% of unemployed people) and those who place themselves at the top of the social scale (43%, versus 18% of those who place themselves at the bottom).

- People for whom the EU conjures up a positive image (45%, versus 26% of those

have a neutral image of the European Union and 25% of those who have a

negative image).


27

Total 'Well informed'

Total 'Not well informed'

DK

EU27 31% 68% 1%

Male 37% 62% 1%

Female 26% 72% 2%

15-24 32% 66% 2%

25-39 30% 68% 2%

40-54 32% 67% 1%

55 + 31% 68% 1%

15- 19% 80% 1%

16-19 29% 70% 1%

20+ 42% 57% 1%

Still studying 37% 61% 2%

Self-employed 37% 62% 1%

Managers 47% 52% 1%

Other white collars 35% 63% 2%

Manual workers 26% 72% 2%

House persons 21% 79% 0%

Unemployed 22% 76% 2%

Retired 31% 68% 1%

Students 37% 61% 2%

Positive 45% 54% 1%

Neutral 26% 72% 2%

Negative 25% 74% 1%

QE2 And overall, to what extent do you think that you are well informed or not about European matters?

Occupation scale

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

Image of the EU


28

III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR POLITICAL MATTERS AND

THE EUROPEAN UNION

1. National political matters

Europeans continue to get

most of their information on

national political matters

from television (total 84%,

-1 percentage point since the

Standard Eurobarometer

survey of autumn 2011),

followed by the press (47%,

-3) and radio (37%, -2), both

of which have lost ground, and

the Internet (31%) which,

conversely, has gained two

percentage points.

If we focus on the “first”

source of information,

television is still in the lead

(62%, -2), but the Internet

(13%, +2) is now ranked

slightly ahead of the written

press (12%, =). Radio remains in fourth place (8%, =)10.

Television is the main source of information on national political matters in all the

Member States, except for Luxembourg (as was the case in autumn 2011), where

respondents are more likely to rely on the written press for information on internal political matters (65%, versus 58% for television).

The press recorded high scores in Austria (70%), Finland (69%), Sweden (66%), Germany (65%) and, as noted above, in Luxembourg (65%).

Respondents in Ireland are more likely than average to mention radio (57%, versus an EU average of 37%), and also do so in Slovenia (52%) and Austria (51%).

10 QE4 Where do you get most of your news on national political matters? Firstly? And then?


29

Lastly, the Internet is the second most important source of information for national

news after television in Latvia (56%), Estonia (55%), Denmark (50%) and Greece (38%).

In the candidate countries, if we focus on the “first” answer, Iceland stands out in

that it ranks the Internet in first place (36% versus 34% for television).

The websites used to get information on national political matters

The ranking of preferred Internet sources for getting information on national

political matters has changed since autumn 2011: information websites are still by

far the likeliest source of information (68%, -2), but social networks have gained ground

and now stand in second place (27%, +7), ahead of institutional sites (24%, =). The lowest scores were obtained by blogs (11%, +1) and video hosting websites (8%, +1)11.

Base: Europeans for whom the Internet is a source of information on national political matters: 31% of the sample

11 QE6 On the Internet, which of the following websites do you use to get news on national political matters? Only respondents (31% of the sample) for whom the Internet is a source of information on national political matters were asked this question


30

As in autumn 2011, respondents in Bulgaria (41%) and Greece (41%) are the most likely

to mention social networks. People in Greece are also more likely to mention blogs

(35%). It should be remembered that they are also less likely to trust institutional and official websites than other sites12.

However, online social networks are much more likely to be mentioned as a source of

information on national matters than in autumn 2011 in many Member States: in Austria

(43%, +10), Spain (39%, +20), Malta (35%, +19), Ireland (35%, +12), Romania (30%, +18), Portugal (30%, +12), Belgium (24%, +13) and the Czech Republic (23%, +10).

12 See analysis of QE8 in part 1.2: trust in the media.


31

A socio-demographic analysis shows that:

- Online social networks are ranked in second place as a source of information on

national political matters by the youngest respondents (37% of 15-24 year-olds

and 28% of 25-39 year-olds), students (36%), the least educated (28% of those

who left school before the age of 16), manual workers (32%) and unemployed

people (30%). This is also the case of those who place themselves at the bottom

of the social scale (32%) and those who frequently struggle to pay their bills

(35%).

- The oldest and most educated respondents, managers and white-collar workers,

those who place themselves at the top of the social scale and those who almost

never have difficulties paying their bills prefer institutional or official websites,

which they rank in second place after information sites and ahead of social networks.

Information websites

(websites from newspapers,

news magazines, etc.)

Online social networks

Institutional and official websites (governmental websites, etc.)

BlogsVideo hosting

websitesOther

(SPONTANEOUS)None


EU27 68% 27% 24% 11% 8% 2% 8% 2%

Male 71% 26% 25% 12% 8% 1% 7% 1%

Female 64% 28% 24% 9% 7% 2% 9% 2%

15-24 61% 37% 20% 11% 9% 2% 7% 2%

25-39 69% 28% 23% 12% 8% 1% 8% 1%

40-54 69% 21% 28% 10% 7% 2% 7% 2%

55 + 72% 15% 29% 8% 6% 1% 9% 2%

15- 55% 28% 20% 12% 6% 0% 12% 3%

16-19 62% 27% 22% 10% 8% 2% 11% 2%

20+ 77% 22% 28% 11% 6% 1% 5% 2%

Still studying 65% 36% 23% 13% 11% 3% 5% 2%

Self-employed 67% 20% 29% 12% 9% 1% 10% 2%

Managers 79% 19% 28% 13% 7% 2% 5% 1%

Other white collars 70% 22% 28% 11% 7% 2% 6% 2%

Manual workers 65% 32% 20% 9% 6% 1% 8% 1%

House persons 62% 27% 23% 11% 6% 2% 16% 3%

Unemployed 61% 30% 18% 12% 7% 2% 9% 3%

Retired 70% 19% 30% 7% 7% 0% 9% 3%

Students 65% 36% 23% 13% 11% 3% 5% 2%

Most of the time 58% 35% 19% 12% 8% 3% 9% 1%

From time to time 64% 28% 22% 15% 8% 2% 7% 1%

Almost never 72% 24% 26% 9% 7% 1% 8% 2%

Low (1-4) 62% 32% 19% 12% 8% 2% 9% 2%

Medium (5-6) 68% 26% 23% 11% 8% 2% 8% 1%

High (7-10) 71% 25% 29% 10% 7% 2% 6% 2%

Self-positioning on the social scale

QE6 On the Internet, which of the following websites do you use to get news on national political matters? (MULTIPLE ANSWERS POSSIBLE)

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

Occupation scale


Base: Europeans for whom the Internet is a source of information on national political matters: 31% of the

sample


32

2. European political matters

As at national level, Europeans are most likely to rely on television for information

on European political matters (total 78%, -1 percentage point since autumn 2011).

The next highest scores were recorded for the press (44%, -3), radio (34%, -1) and the

Internet (28%, +2). The order is therefore the same as for national political matters,

though with lower scores.

When we focus on the “first” source of information mentioned, television remains

at the top of the list (58%, -3), but once again the Internet (12%, +2) has overtaken the

written press (11%, =). Radio is in fourth place (7%, =)13.

A socio-demographic analysis reveals that:

- Television is the main source of information on European political matters for all categories of Europeans.

- The youngest respondents (48% of 15-24 year-olds and 42% of 25-39 year-olds)

and students (54%) are the most likely to use the Internet as a source of

information on European political matters: it is the second most frequently

mentioned source in these categories, behind television. The most educated

respondents (40% of those who studied up to the age of 20 or beyond), managers

(42%), and those who place themselves at the top of the social scale (36%) are also more likely to mention the Internet.

13 QE5 Where do you get most of your news on European political matters? Firstly? And then?


33

- People aged 55 or over (52%), those who studied the longest (51%), managers

(55%), pensioners (52%) and those who place themselves at the top of the social

scale (54%) are more likely to mention the press as a source of information on European political matters.

- People who struggle to pay their bills most of the time are more likely to answer

spontaneously that they do not look for information on European political matters

(20% versus 7% of those who almost never have such difficulties).

Television The press Radio The InternetOther

(SPONTANEOUS)

You do not look for news on European

political matters (SPONTANEOUS)

DK

EU27 78% 44% 34% 28% 2% 10% 1%

Male 77% 47% 34% 33% 1% 8% 1%

Female 78% 41% 33% 24% 2% 12% 1%

15-24 68% 32% 22% 48% 2% 15% 0%

25-39 74% 39% 31% 42% 2% 11% 1%

40-54 79% 47% 38% 28% 2% 8% 1%

55 + 83% 52% 37% 11% 2% 10% 1%

15- 79% 39% 32% 7% 2% 17% 0%

16-19 80% 45% 34% 25% 2% 10% 1%

20+ 77% 51% 39% 40% 1% 4% 1%

Still studying 66% 36% 22% 54% 2% 12% 1%

Self-employed 75% 48% 36% 35% 2% 7% 1%

Managers 77% 55% 40% 42% 1% 3% 1%


Manual workers 78% 41% 34% 29% 2% 12% 0%

House persons 77% 35% 33% 18% 2% 16% 1%

Unemployed 75% 32% 27% 30% 2% 15% 1%

Retired 83% 52% 37% 10% 2% 10% 1%

Students 66% 36% 22% 54% 2% 12% 1%

Most of the time 71% 30% 26% 23% 2% 20% 1%

From time to time 77% 40% 31% 28% 2% 13% 1%

Almost never 79% 50% 37% 30% 2% 7% 0%

Low (1-4) 75% 34% 31% 22% 2% 16% 1%

Medium (5-6) 79% 44% 35% 28% 2% 10% 1%

High (7-10) 79% 54% 35% 36% 2% 6% 0%

QE5T - Where do you get most of your news on European political matters? Firstly? And then?

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

Occupation scale


Self-positioning on the social scale


34

The ranking of preferred Internet sources for information on European matters

has not changed since autumn 2011, but the scores for each website type vary considerably:

- Information websites are still by far the most frequently mentioned source

(66%), despite a significant decline (-6 percentage points).

- The proportion of respondents mentioning institutional and official websites has also fallen significantly since autumn 2011 (24%, -10).

- However, these are still mentioned slightly more frequently than online social

networks which respondents seem more likely to use for national news (23% pour 27%).

- Social networks obtained a higher score than in autumn 2011 (19%, +4).

- Blogs have also gained ground as an online source of information on European matters (12%, +3), ahead of video hosting websites (7%, +1).

Base: Europeans for whom the Internet is a source of information on European political matters: 28% of the

sample

The popularity of online social networks has increased considerably since autumn 2011 in

Spain (37%, +20), Malta (31%, +19), Romania (30%, +14), Luxembourg (22%, +12)

and Bulgaria (44%, +11). Blogs are mentioned far more frequently in Italy (26%, +15).


35

A socio-demographic analysis reveals that:

- To get information on European political matters on the Internet, information

websites are most used by men (70% versus 61% of women), 40-54 year-olds

(69%), the most educated respondents (73% of those who studied up to the age

of 20 or beyond) and managers (77%). This also holds true for those who almost

never have difficulties paying their bills (69%) and those who place themselves at

the top of the social scale (70%).

- People aged 55 or over (29%), self-employed people (29%), managers (28%),

white-collar workers (28%) and those who place themselves at the top of the

social scale (28%) are slightly more likely to use institutional or official websites than average (24% on average in the EU).

- The youngest respondents (31%), those who struggle to pay their bills most of

the time (30%), and students (29%) are more likely to use online social networks than Europeans as a whole (23%).

Base: Europeans for whom the Internet is a source of information on European political matters: 28% of the sample


36

3. The active search for information on the European Union

The ranking of the sources preferred when searching actively for information

searches on the European Union, its policies and institutions has undergone significant changes since the Standard Eurobarometer survey of autumn 2011.

- Television still tops the list (49%), but with a far lower score than in autumn 2011 (-8 percentage points).

- The Internet is in second place, mentioned by a third of Europeans (33%, +3).

- Daily newspapers

have fallen to third

place among sources

of information on the

European Union,

losing three

percentage points (30%).

- Discussions with

relatives, friends

and colleagues

have gained ground

as a source of

information on the

European Union (20%, +3).

- They have overtaken

radio, which has

fallen back (18%,

-4).

- The next highest scores were recorded by “other newspapers and magazines”

(11%, =), books, brochures and information leaflets (6%, +2) and

conferences (3%, =)14.

14 QE9 When you are looking for information about the EU, its policies, its institutions, which of the following sources do you use? (MULTIPLE ANSWERS POSSIBLE)


37

- The Internet is now the preferred source when searching for information on the

European Union in seven Member States (up from three in autumn 2011):

Denmark (58%), Sweden (58%), Finland (57%), the Netherlands (55%), Estonia

(50%), Latvia (42%) and the United Kingdom (36%). It has gained ground very sharply in Ireland (33%, +11).

- Respondents in Luxembourg rank daily newspapers and television in joint first

place (52%), but in all the other European countries, television is the main source

used when searching for information on the European Union.

- Discussions with relatives, friends and colleagues figure very prominently in

Greece (45%,=), as well as in Cyprus (45%, +14) and Austria (45%, +10), where this source has gained significant ground.

- Respondents in Greece are slightly more likely to mention conferences, talks

and meetings (15%, versus an EU average of 3%). Respondents in Sweden

(18%, versus 6% in the EU), Luxembourg (14%) and Denmark (13%) are more likely to mention books, brochures and information leaflets.

- Television is also the most widely-used source in the candidate countries, except in Iceland, where respondents first mention the Internet (59%).

- Lastly, respondents in Portugal (34%), the United Kingdom (30%), Latvia (27%),

Hungary (27%) and Lithuania (26%) are more likely than the European average

to say spontaneously that they never look for information on the European Union, its policies and its institutions.

- A socio-demographic analysis confirms the trends measured previously for

media use: the Internet is the preferred source for searching for information on

the European Union among 15-24 year-olds (51%) and 25-39 year-olds (46%),

whereas television remains the most frequently mentioned medium in the other age groups.

- The most educated respondents are also more likely than average to mention the Internet (50%), which has now pushed television into second place (47%).

- Students have a clear preference for the Internet (59%), as do managers (55%)

- Respondents who say that they are well-informed about European matters prefer

television (54%), but they are also more likely than average to mention all the

proposed sources, in particular the Internet (47%), daily newspapers (42%) and radio (24%).


38

Television The Internet Daily

newspapers

Discussions with relatives,

friends, colleagues

Radio

EU27 49% 33% 30% 20% 18%

Male 50% 37% 33% 20% 19%

Female 48% 29% 27% 20% 17%

15-24 38% 51% 21% 23% 11%

25-39 45% 46% 24% 21% 15%

40-54 50% 34% 32% 21% 20%

55 + 55% 15% 35% 16% 22%

15- 53% 10% 25% 15% 17%

16-19 51% 27% 30% 19% 19%

20+ 47% 50% 36% 22% 22%

Still studying 37% 59% 24% 27% 10%

Self-employed 45% 40% 33% 19% 19%

Managers 46% 55% 39% 22% 22%

Other white collars 45% 43% 30% 22% 16%

Manual workers 50% 33% 27% 20% 18%

House persons 51% 20% 23% 18% 18%

Unemployed 47% 31% 20% 17% 15%

Retired 57% 12% 34% 16% 22%

Students 37% 59% 24% 27% 10%

Yes 54% 47% 42% 25% 24%

No 47% 27% 24% 17% 16%

Feels well informed about European matters

Occupation scale

Gender

QE9 When you are looking for information about the EU, its policies, its institutions,which of the following sources do you use? (MULTIPLE ANSWERS POSSIBLE)

Age

Education (End of)

First five items mentioned


39

4. Media coverage of the European Union

– A growing majority of Europeans believe that their national media give

enough coverage to the European Union –

Although a clear majority of citizens consider that they are ill-informed about

the European Union, Europeans continue to believe that their national media

give sufficient coverage to it, in proportions which have remained stable since the

Standard Eurobarometer survey of autumn 201115: the press (56%, +1), television (55%, +1), radio (48%, =) and websites (42%, +1).

However, opinions have changed significantly since the Standard Eurobarometer of

autumn 2007 (EB68), when Europeans were far more critical of their national media for

not giving enough coverage to the European Union; at that time, this view was even the majority view as regards television and radio.

Note that the proportion of Europeans who say that there is too little media coverage of

the European Union is systematically higher than the proportion who instead say that they give it “too much” coverage. However, this gap has narrowed since 2007.

15 QE10 Generally speaking, do you think that the (NATIONALITY) ... talk(s) too much, about the right amount or too little about the EU? 1. Television 2. Press 3. Radio 4. Websites


40

Countries in which respondents complain that the national media give too much coverage

to the European Union include Greece (36% for television, 19% for radio, 26% for the

press and 10% for the Internet), Spain (26/18/20/21) and Malta (23/14/15/9). This also holds true for the United Kingdom in the case of the written press (19%).

Conversely, respondents in the Netherlands (45% for television, 37% for radio, 26% for

the press, 16% for the Internet), France (40/37/23/18), Denmark (34/29/27/13), Italy

(34/38/28/23) and Sweden (33/32/28/17) regret that the European Union does not get enough coverage.

There have been some significant changes on this question, since the complaint that the

media talk “too much” about the European Union has gained ground in Greece (36%, +2

for television, 19%, +6 for radio, 26%, +5 for the written press, and 10%, +4 for

websites) and Malta (23%, +8, 14%, +6, 15%, +5, and 9%, +3).

In the candidate countries:

- Respondents are more likely than average to feel that the media talk "too much”

about the European Union in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (42% for

television, 17% for radio, 23% for the written press and 13% for the Internet), Montenegro (35/21/26/16) and Serbia (33/16/26/15).

- These proportions were equally high Turkey, but are tending to decline (25%,

-11, 6%, -7, 11%, -6 and 10%, -1).

- Croatia (44/44/40/21) and Iceland (44/39/32/23) stand out for the more widespread belief that the media talk “too little” about the European Union.

In general, the most educated Europeans and those with a strong interest in politics are

more likely than average to feel that their media talk “too little” about the European

Union. However, in all categories, a majority of respondents believe that the media give sufficient coverage to the European Union.


41

- A majority of Europeans still say that the media are objective in their coverage of the European Union -

A majority of Europeans believe that the media present the European Union

objectively, with scores more or less unchanged since the Standard Eurobarometer

survey of autumn 2011 (EB76): 53% of Europeans think that it is treated objectively by television (-2), 52% by radio (-1) and 51% by the press (-1).

A majority of respondents also share this opinion in the case of websites (40%, +2). This

lower score in comparison with the other media has to be seen in the context of the high “DK” rate, even if this rate has fallen (46%, -3)16.

There is a broad balance between the feeling that coverage of the European Union is too positive or too negative for each medium, but we note that:

- The feeling that the treatment of the EU is “too positive” is only slightly higher

than the feeling that it is treated “too negatively” in the case of television (17%, +1 versus 15%, +1) and radio (11%, +1, versus 10%, =).

- The ratio is reversed for the press (12% “too positive”, +1, versus 14% “too negative”, =) and websites (6%, =, versus 8%, +1).

16 QE11 Do you think that the (NATIONALITY) ... present(s) the EU too positively, objectively or too negatively?


42

Respondents in Greece are particularly critical of their national media, and are more

likely than average to accuse them of being both too positive and too negative in their

treatment of the EU. There has been a significant rise in complaints that coverage is “too

positive” since autumn 2011: on television (48%, +12), in the press (35%, +10), on radio (33%, +13) and to a lesser extent on the Internet (8%, +1).

Too positively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

ObjectivelyDiff

EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Too negatively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Too positively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

ObjectivelyDiff

EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Too negatively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

EU27 17% +1 53% -2 15% +1 12% +1 51% -1 14% =

BE 18% +7 62% -11 13% +3 17% +7 56% -12 14% =

BG 25% = 62% +1 2% +1 19% +2 51% -1 3% =

CZ 19% +2 65% -3 6% = 16% +2 63% -2 7% -1

DK 18% +2 66% -1 12% -1 14% +2 60% -2 14% +1

DE 16% +1 63% -3 8% +3 11% +2 62% -2 9% +1

EE 20% +1 65% -3 3% -1 17% +1 62% -1 4% -3

IE 12% -1 58% +3 15% +4 10% +1 56% +2 16% +4

EL 48% +12 23% -7 23% -6 35% +10 32% -8 18% -3

ES 18% +1 43% -5 21% +5 10% +1 41% -6 15% +2

FR 15% = 41% = 23% -1 9% = 46% +3 15% -1

IT 13% -5 52% +1 16% +2 10% -1 50% +2 15% =

CY 18% -5 58% -1 12% +7 13% -1 49% -3 7% +1

LV 22% -2 55% -3 6% +1 17% -1 50% -3 6% =

LT 14% -2 68% = 6% +1 10% -2 66% = 5% +1

LU 13% -1 53% +9 6% -1 13% -2 61% +5 7% +2

HU 21% -1 57% -3 11% +4 14% -1 56% = 8% +2

MT 29% +10 40% -2 5% -1 20% +5 37% +2 4% -1

NL 17% +2 46% -2 26% +3 10% +2 49% -4 25% +3

AT 24% +4 66% = 4% -4 18% -2 66% +7 10% -4

PL 16% +1 68% +1 4% = 11% -2 68% +8 4% =

PT 9% -9 61% +12 16% +1 6% -6 55% +12 12% =

RO 15% = 54% -9 9% +2 10% +1 43% -6 9% +2

SI 19% +2 64% +1 7% -2 15% +3 64% +3 7% -2

SK 20% +1 69% = 5% -2 14% = 70% +1 6% -1

FI 18% +1 65% = 7% = 14% +1 69% = 9% =

SE 18% +1 55% -2 14% -2 15% = 51% +6 20% -8

UK 13% +2 47% -2 23% -1 10% +3 38% = 28% -4

CY (tcc) 33% -3 42% +6 11% -8 32% -8 40% +5 10% -4

HR 60% -2 28% -1 5% +2 48% -6 29% = 6% +1

TR 22% +3 41% +3 16% -3 17% +3 31% -1 13% -6

MK 51% +9 37% -5 4% -5 32% +4 33% -3 3% -3

IS 22% -3 34% -3 32% +5 18% -1 33% -6 33% +7

ME 46% = 40% -3 5% = 33% +3 46% -5 6% -4

RS 38% NA 39% NA 9% NA 32% NA 36% NA 13% NA

QE11. Do you think that the (NATIONALITY) ... present(s) the EU too positively, objectively or too negatively?

Television Press


43

Too positively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

ObjectivelyDiff

EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Too negatively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Too positively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

ObjectivelyDiff

EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

Too negatively

Diff EB78 Aut. 2012 - EB76 Aut. 2011

EU27 11% +1 52% -1 10% = 6% = 40% +2 8% +1

BE 15% +7 61% -12 11% +1 12% +6 46% -6 11% =

BG 15% -1 52% +4 1% = 5% -3 35% +7 1% =

CZ 14% +1 65% -4 4% = 8% +1 55% -2 4% +1

DK 13% +2 63% = 7% -2 7% = 53% = 6% +1

DE 11% +2 59% -4 5% +1 5% = 33% -2 6% +2

EE 16% +3 62% -7 2% -2 9% +1 53% = 5% =

IE 11% = 58% +2 15% +5 6% +2 41% +9 10% +4

EL 33% +13 38% -9 16% -3 8% +1 48% +1 6% +1

ES 9% -1 41% -6 14% +4 5% = 35% +3 9% +2

FR 9% = 44% +4 16% = 5% = 33% +4 12% =

IT 8% = 48% +2 12% +1 5% -1 41% +2 13% +2

CY 13% -1 49% -5 9% +4 6% -1 31% +5 4% +2

LV 16% -1 54% -2 4% = 10% -1 47% -1 6% =

LT 10% -1 65% = 4% +1 6% -2 53% +2 4% +2

LU 12% -2 55% +9 4% -1 7% +1 33% +8 4% =

HU 14% -2 54% -4 8% +2 8% +2 42% +1 4% =

MT 22% +7 37% +4 5% = 9% -2 34% +7 3% +1

NL 9% +2 45% = 15% = 7% = 34% -3 12% =

AT 21% +4 65% = 4% -3 7% -1 47% +3 6% -1

PL 12% = 70% +5 3% -1 7% -1 62% +11 3% =

PT 6% -6 54% +10 10% = 4% -2 34% +4 8% +2

RO 9% -1 48% -7 6% +1 4% -1 27% -4 3% =

SI 14% +2 66% +2 6% -2 9% +1 50% -3 5% =

SK 15% +3 72% -4 3% -1 6% = 54% -1 3% -2

FI 10% -1 64% +3 6% +1 8% = 52% +4 7% +1

SE 10% -1 55% -1 10% = 7% +1 35% -1 11% -3

UK 10% +3 46% -4 13% -2 7% +3 38% -3 9% -1

CY (tcc) 24% -6 38% -8 9% = 22% +7 30% -4 6% +1

HR 48% -5 31% +1 4% +1 28% -6 30% +2 4% +2

TR 9% -4 24% -3 14% -3 10% +1 24% -3 11% -6

MK 28% +7 28% -2 2% -3 20% +1 21% -4 1% -1

IS 19% -2 41% +1 26% +3 11% -2 36% +1 23% -1

ME 28% +3 38% -8 4% -2 18% +2 37% -2 4% =

RS 22% NA 39% NA 9% NA 18% NA 33% NA 9% NA

QE11. Do you think that the (NATIONALITY) ... present(s) the EU too positively, objectively or too negatively?

Radio Websites

As we have seen in the case of media use and trust in the media, respondents in Greece

view the Internet in a slightly different light from other media since, in this case, the

feeling that its coverage is objective is far more clear-cut (48%, versus 8% for “too positive” and 6% for “too negative”).

Respondents in the Netherlands (26% for television, 25% for the press and 15% for

radio), the United Kingdom (23% for television, and, most strikingly, 28% for the press)

and France (23% for television and 16% for radio) are more likely than average to consider that the European Union is treated too negatively.


44

- Europeans think that it would be particularly useful to obtain information on the EU on information and institutional websites -

When asked where they

would find it most useful to

obtain information on the

European Union, a majority

of Europeans continue to

mention information sites

(36%, -1 percentage point

since autumn 2011). As noted

previously, these are their

main online source of

information. However,

institutional websites (32%,

+4) have gained ground and

are now ranked just behind.

Online social networks have

also gained ground (12%, +3).

Blogs (5%, =) and video

hosting websites (4%, +1)17 still lag behind.

Almost a quarter of Europeans

spontaneously answered that

“none” of these sources were

useful for finding information

on the European Union (24%, =). Finally, the “DK” rate has fallen, but remains high (16%, -4).

The proportion of respondents who feel that it would be useful to find information on the

European Union on institutional websites has increased, most strikingly in Denmark,

where demand is particularly strong (69%, +7), as well as in France (39%, +7), and

finally in Romania, with a score that nevertheless remains below the European average (28%, +8).

Support for social networks has increased significantly in Spain (15%, +7) and Malta (13%, +7).

In Greece, where respondents are very suspicious of institutional websites18, they turn to

information sites for information about the European Union (41%, -3), followed by social

networks (26%, +3), which are now mentioned slightly more often than institutional websites (25%, -3).

17 QE12 On which of the following websites would you find it useful to find information on the EU? (MULTIPLE ANSWERS POSSIBLE). Question posed to the entire sample. 18 See the analysis of QE8, part I.2.


45

We note the same socio-demographic divisions as those measured for media use:

- Men are more likely than women to mention all types of websites.

- Young people, who are heavy Internet users, have greater expectations than

average of information websites (46%), institutional websites (40%) and social

networks (23%).

- The most educated respondents, who place a high degree of trust in institutional

websites, mention them more frequently than average (47%), but are also more

likely to mention information sites (52%). The proportion who mentioned social networks is in line with the European average (13%).

- Managers are the most likely to want to obtain information on the EU on

information websites (58%) and institutional or official websites (52%). This is

also the case of students (52% for information sites, 47% for institutional or

official websites). Students are also more likely to want information on the EU on online social networks (24%).

Information websites

(websites from newspapers,

news magazines, etc.)

Institutional and official websites (governmental websites, etc.)

Online social networks

BlogsVideo hosting

websitesOther

(SPONTANEOUS)None

(SPONTANEOUS)DK

EU27 36% 32% 12% 5% 4% 1% 24% 16%

Male 40% 33% 12% 6% 5% 1% 22% 14%

Female 33% 30% 11% 4% 3% 1% 25% 18%

15-24 46% 40% 23% 9% 7% 1% 11% 9%

25-39 45% 40% 17% 8% 6% 1% 14% 10%

40-54 42% 36% 11% 5% 4% 1% 20% 13%

55 + 22% 19% 4% 2% 2% 1% 38% 26%

15- 14% 10% 6% 2% 2% 1% 45% 30%

16-19 34% 28% 12% 5% 4% 1% 25% 17%

20+ 52% 47% 13% 7% 5% 1% 12% 9%

Still studying 52% 47% 24% 11% 9% 1% 7% 7%

Self-employed 45% 39% 13% 6% 6% 1% 15% 14%

Managers 58% 52% 12% 7% 6% 1% 9% 6%


Manual workers 38% 31% 13% 5% 5% 1% 22% 14%

House persons 24% 25% 10% 3% 3% 1% 31% 24%

Unemployed 34% 25% 14% 7% 4% 2% 25% 17%

Retired 19% 16% 4% 1% 1% 2% 41% 27%

Students 52% 47% 24% 11% 9% 1% 7% 7%

QE12 On which of the following websites would you find it useful to find information on the EU? (MULTIPLE ANSWERS POSSIBLE)

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

Occupation scale


46

IV. SOCIAL NETWORKS

42% of Europeans use online social networks at least once a week, an increase of 7

percentage points since autumn 2011. The frequency of social network use has therefore

increased, but the proportion of Europeans who never use them is still high (43%, -1). In

this context, the “DK” rate for the question on social networks has fallen, but remains

high (between 25% and 30% compared with 29% to 34% in autumn 2011).

Europeans are now mainly more positive about social networks19, since half of Europeans now say that they are:

- A modern way of keeping abreast of political affairs (50%, +3 in

comparison with the Standard Eurobarometer survey of autumn 2011, +8 in comparison with the autumn 2010 Standard Eurobarometer survey (EB74).

- A good way for people to have their say on political issues (50%, +3, and

+9 since autumn 2010).

- A good way of getting people interested in political affairs (50%, +3, and

+9 since autumn 2010).

However, the opposite views have also gained ground (rising to a quarter of

respondents), a sign that opinions on social networks are crystalizing, in part negatively

(25%, +1, for “keeping abreast”; 25%, +2, for “having a say”; and 25%, +2, for

“getting people interested” respectively). In all cases, positive opinions of social networks

have increased more rapidly than negative ones.

The development of both negative and positive opinions about social networks is

confirmed by the increase in doubts about the reliability of the information on

political matters found on social networks (43%, +3 since autumn 2011, and +6

since 2010; compared with 27% who take the opposite view, +1 and +4).

19 QE13 Regardless of whether you participate in online social networks or not (social networking websites, blogs, video hosting websites), please tell me whether you totally agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree with each of the following statements.


47

Opinions on the usefulness of social networks as a way of keeping abreast,

getting people interested and having a say with regard to political matters are

mainly positive in all the Member States, apart from France, where a majority of

respondents do not agree that social networks help to get people interested in political

affairs (41% “disagree”, versus 36%).

These positive opinions are particularly strong in the countries where respondents are

the heaviest users of social networks20: Malta, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. But

positive opinions are also common in countries where social networks are not particularly widely used on a daily basis, notably in Slovenia and Greece.

Positive opinions have increased significantly in Malta (70% agree, +12 percentage

points for “keeping abreast”, 69%, +19 for “getting people interested in politics” and

61%, +7 for “having a say on political issues”) and Finland (64%, +10, 72%, +9, and 65%, +7).

The feeling that social networks are a good way of getting people interested in political affairs has also gained ground in Spain (57%, +8) and Germany (47%, +7).

Respondents in Romania (36%, +9 percentage points since autumn 2011) and Spain

(59%, +7) are the most likely to consider that these networks are a good way for people to have their say on political issues.

20 See QE3.6: Could you tell me to what extent you use online social networks (Every day, Almost every day/Two or three times a week/About once a week/Two or three times a month/Less often/Never)


48

The feeling that social networks are a modern way of keeping abreast of political

affairs has lost ground in some Member States, while still being supported by a majority

of respondents: in Lithuania (45%, -7), Hungary (52%, -2), Latvia (61%, -5) and Slovakia (62%, -4).

Respondents are less enthusiastic than in most Member States about these qualities

attributed to social networks in countries such as France, Luxembourg and the United

Kingdom, as well as in Romania and Portugal where the “DK” rate is particularly high on this subject, exceeding a third of respondents

The feeling that the information on political affairs found on social networks is

not reliable is shared by a majority of respondents in almost all the Member States,

except for Greece (33%, versus 41%), Slovakia (35%, versus 41%) and Bulgaria (21% versus 38%), as well as in Italy (34% in both cases).


49

The countries in which respondents are most likely to say that social networks are

reliable include the countries where their qualities are more widely recognised: Sweden (66%), Slovenia (58%), Denmark (55%) and Finland (55%).

But there are also countries which are more critical of social networks: France (57%

consider that the political information found on social networks is not reliable),

Luxembourg (55%) and the United Kingdom (52%).

The same socio-demographic divisions apply as to the use of social networks:

- Young people, the most educated respondents, managers and white-collar

workers are more likely than average to recognise the political benefits of social

networks, but are also more likely to emphasise the lack of reliability of the information.

- Europeans aged 55 or over, the least educated respondents and manual workers

are less likely to emphasise these qualities, but are also less likely to criticise the

lack of reliability of the information, having simply less clear-cut views on the subject (with higher than average “DK” rates).


50

Total 'Agree' Total 'Disagree' Total 'Agree' Total 'Disagree' Total 'Agree' Total 'Disagree' Total 'Agree' Total 'Disagree'

EU27 50% 25% 50% 25% 50% 25% 43% 27%

Male 52% 26% 52% 25% 53% 25% 45% 28%

Female 48% 25% 49% 24% 48% 24% 42% 26%

15-24 65% 26% 66% 25% 66% 25% 52% 33%

25-39 60% 28% 63% 25% 60% 27% 49% 34%

40-54 53% 27% 54% 26% 54% 26% 48% 27%

55 + 34% 22% 32% 23% 34% 21% 32% 19%

15- 34% 17% 32% 19% 32% 19% 26% 20%

16-19 50% 25% 50% 24% 48% 27% 42% 28%

20+ 56% 31% 58% 29% 60% 26% 54% 29%

Still studying 68% 26% 69% 25% 70% 25% 54% 35%

Self-employed 57% 27% 56% 27% 56% 27% 46% 33%

Managers 59% 32% 60% 30% 64% 27% 58% 30%


Manual workers 53% 26% 54% 25% 52% 27% 45% 28%

House persons 43% 23% 42% 25% 41% 25% 38% 24%

Unemployed 55% 22% 55% 21% 52% 24% 43% 28%

Retired 31% 20% 30% 21% 31% 20% 30% 18%

Students 68% 26% 69% 25% 70% 25% 54% 35%

Yes 59% 24% 60% 23% 62% 21% 51% 30%

No 46% 26% 46% 25% 46% 26% 40% 26%

Online social networks are a modern way to keep abreast of political affairs

Information on political affairs from online social networks cannot be

trusted

Online social networks are a good way to have your say on political issues

Online social networks can get people interested in political affairs

Fells informed about European matters

QE13. Regardless of wether you participate in online social networks or not (social networking websites, blogs, video hosting websites), please tell me whether you totally agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree with each of the following statements.

Occupation scale

Gender

Age

Education (End of)


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Between the 3rd and the 18th of November, TNS Opinion & Social, a consortium created between TNS plc and TNS opinion, carried out the wave 78.1 of the EUROBAROMETER survey, on request of the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Directorate-General for Communication, “Research and Speechwriting”. The wave 78.1 is the STANDARD EUROBAROMETER 78 survey and covers the population of the respective nationalities of the European Union Member States, resident in each of the Member States and aged 15 years and over. The STANDARD EUROBAROMETER 78 survey has also been conducted in the six candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Montenegro and Serbia) and in the Turkish Cypriot Community. In these countries, the survey covers the national population of citizens and the population of citizens of all the European Union Member States that are residents in these countries and have a sufficient command of the national languages to answer the questionnaire. The basic sample design applied in all states is a multi-stage, random (probability) one. In each country, a number of sampling points was drawn with probability proportional to population size (for a total coverage of the country) and to population density.

In order to do so, the sampling points were drawn systematically from each of the "administrative regional units", after stratification by individual unit and type of area. They thus represent the whole territory of the countries surveyed according to the EUROSTAT NUTS II (or equivalent) and according to the distribution of the resident population of the respective nationalities in terms of metropolitan, urban and rural areas. In each of the selected sampling points, a starting address was drawn, at random. Further addresses (every Nth address) were selected by standard "random route" procedures, from the initial address. In each household, the respondent was drawn, at random (following the "closest birthday rule"). All interviews were conducted face-to-face in people's homes and in the appropriate national language. As far as the data capture is concerned, CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) was used in those countries where this technique was available. For each country a comparison between the sample and the universe was carried out. The Universe description was derived from Eurostat population data or from national statistics offices. For all countries surveyed, a national weighting procedure, using marginal and intercellular weighting, was carried out based on this Universe description. In all countries, gender, age, region and size of locality were introduced in the iteration procedure. For international weighting (i.e. EU averages), TNS Opinion & Social applies the official population figures as provided by EUROSTAT or national statistic offices. The total population figures for input in this post-weighting procedure are listed above.

TS1


Readers are reminded that survey results are estimations, the accuracy of which, everything being equal, rests upon the sample size and upon the observed percentage. With samples of about 1,000 interviews, the real percentages vary within the following confidence limits:

various sample sizes are in rows various observed results are in columns

5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

95% 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50%

N=50 6,0 8,3 9,9 11,1 12,0 12,7 13,2 13,6 13,8 13,9 N=50

N=500 1,9 2,6 3,1 3,5 3,8 4,0 4,2 4,3 4,4 4,4 N=500

N=1000 1,4 1,9 2,2 2,5 2,7 2,8 3,0 3,0 3,1 3,1 N=1000

N=1500 1,1 1,5 1,8 2,0 2,2 2,3 2,4 2,5 2,5 2,5 N=1500

N=2000 1,0 1,3 1,6 1,8 1,9 2,0 2,1 2,1 2,2 2,2 N=2000

N=3000 0,8 1,1 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8 1,8 1,8 N=3000

N=4000 0,7 0,9 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,5 1,5 1,5 N=4000

N=5000 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,3 1,4 1,4 1,4 N=5000

N=6000 0,6 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,3 1,3 N=6000

N=7000 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,1 1,2 1,2 N=7000

N=7500 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,1 1,1 N=7500

N=8000 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,9 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,1 N=8000

N=9000 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 N=9000

N=10000 0,4 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,9 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,0 N=10000

N=11000 0,4 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 N=11000

N=12000 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 N=12000

N=13000 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,9 0,9 N=13000

N=14000 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,8 N=14000

N=15000 0,3 0,5 0,6 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,8 N=15000

5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

95% 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50%

Statistical Margins due to the sampling process

(at the 95% level of confidence)

TS2


ABBR. COUNTRIES INSTITUTES N°

INTERVIEWS FIELDWORK

DATES POPULATION

15+

BE Belgium TNS Dimarso 1.031 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 8.866.411 BG Bulgaria TNS BBSS 1.020 03/11/2012 11/11/2012 6.584.957 CZ Czech Rep. TNS Aisa 1.003 03/11/2012 14/11/2012 8.987.535 DK Denmark TNS Gallup DK 1.001 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 4.533.420 DE Germany TNS Infratest 1.562 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 64.545.601 EE Estonia Emor 1.003 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 916.000 IE Ireland IMS Millward Brown 1.000 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 3.375.399 EL Greece TNS ICAP 1.001 03/11/2012 17/11/2012 8.693.566 ES Spain TNS Demoscopia 1.006 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 39.035.867 FR France TNS Sofres 1.008 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 47.620.942 IT Italy TNS Infratest 1.032 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 51.252.247 CY Rep. of Cyprus Synovate 503 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 651.400 LV Latvia TNS Latvia 1.011 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 1.448.719 LT Lithuania TNS LT 1.019 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 2.849.359 LU Luxembourg TNS ILReS 502 03/11/2012 17/11/2012 404.907 HU Hungary TNS Hoffmann Kft 1.028 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 8.320.614 MT Malta MISCO 500 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 335.476 NL Netherlands TNS NIPO 1.016 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 13.288.200

AT Austria Österreichisches Gallup-Institut 993 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 6.973.277

PL Poland TNS OBOP 1.000 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 32.306.436 PT Portugal TNS EUROTESTE 1.015 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 8.080.915 RO Romania TNS CSOP 1.014 03/11/2012 13/11/2012 18.246.731 SI Slovenia RM PLUS 1.014 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 1.748.308 SK Slovakia TNS Slovakia 1.000 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 4.549.954 FI Finland TNS Gallup Oy 1.007 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 4.412.321 SE Sweden TNS GALLUP 1.029 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 7.723.931 UK United Kingdom TNS UK 1.304 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 51.081.866

TOTAL EU27

26.622 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 406.834.359

CY(tcc) Turkish Cypriot Community

Kadem 500 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 143.226

HR Croatia Puls 1.000 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 3.749.400 TR Turkey TNS PIAR 1.000 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 52.728.513

MK Former Yugoslav Rep. of Macedonia

TNS Brima 1.056 03/11/2012 09/11/2012 1.678.404

IS Iceland Capacent 502 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 252.277 ME Montenegro TNS Medium Gallup 1.017 03/11/2012 15/11/2012 492.265 RS Serbia TNS Medium Gallup 1.034 03/11/2012 15/11/2012 6.409.693

TOTAL 32.731 03/11/2012 18/11/2012 472.288.137

TS3

media use in the european union · the methodology used is that of the eurobarometer surveys...

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