Cypriots interest in news drops, survey finds

The percentage of Cypriots interested in the news from most news outlets has recorded a drop, a Union of Cyprus Journalists (UCJ) survey has shown.

The results of the third annual survey on the qualitative characteristics of Cypriot journalism, which was carried out among 1,000 people by Cypronetwork in July and August 2023 on behalf of the UCJ with the support of the Bank of Cyprus, was presented in a press conference on Wednesday in Nicosia.

Addressing the press conference, Giorgos Frangos, UCJ President, pointed out that according to the survey’s findings all news outlets bar one, have seen a downward trend of interest from people in the last three years.

He noted that interest in television has dropped from 76% to 72%, in social media from 73% to 60%, in news websites from 48% to 42%. Only radio saw a slight increase from 39% to 41%.

Frangos said that the overall index shows "that more and more people choose not to be informed at all, remaining uninvolved in socio-political events."

At the same time, he added that journalists are considered reliable by 48% of respondents, while the mass media are considered reliable by only 37%. "As UCJ, we believe that this particular assessment should be a matter of concern specifically for those who are in charge of the media landscape in Cyprus," he underlined.

On his part, Christos Michaelides, Director of Cypronetwork, said that in the last three years there has been a slight increase in the number of citizens who are informed by television, a steady rise in social media, a small drop in portals, a rise in English/American media, a drop in magazines, a slight rise in Greek media and a decline in newspapers. Television and social media are almost equal, he noted, adding that better indicators are recorded in television and radio.

Fake news is thought to be found more in social media, he noted, citing as a "paradox" the result of the survey that radio and newspapers are the outlets least challenged about their content.

Furthermore, he indicated that the shift towards English/American media indicates a gap in news coverage by Cypriot media, which should concern media owners and added that further qualitative research on that aspect is needed in future.

Savvas Kounnos, Director of Corporate Affairs of the Bank of Cyprus, said that the survey on Cypriot journalism "is a useful tool for the journalistic community and not only, as it captures the preferences of citizens and by extension the challenges media are faced with today." At the same time, he pointed out that "it can also be a trap if in their effort to be liked, media representatives lower their standards as regards objectivity."

“The results of the 2023 survey are starting to create a pattern in relation to the sources of information,” said Kounnos, who focused on the fact that a growing percentage of citizens believe that the largest volume of fake news is found in social media, while the corresponding perception of traditional as well as electronic media is gradually improving.

The results of the survey

According to the analysis of the results of the survey prepared by Cypronetwork, three out of four Cypriots continue to choose television (72%) and six out of ten social media (60%), a relatively smaller percentage compared to previous years, as a means of informing them about the issues they are interested in. About four out of ten choose radio and online news portals (41% and 42% respectively) and 22% foreign media. In addition, one out of ten is informed by Greek media, newspapers and magazines. Compared to last year's results, the percentages of the American and English media have increased, while social media continue their downward trend.

In relation to the general evaluation of mass media, the highest indicators of positive positioning continue to be presented by radio (33%), television (30%) and internet portals (30%). This is followed by social media (21%), newspapers (19%) and magazines (17%).

Regarding the evaluation of journalism in Cyprus, 37% of participants in the survey evaluated positively the quality of the media and 35% the objectivity, while the morals/ethics of the media were positively evaluated by 34%, the behaviour by 32%, the validity of the news by 31% and subject specialisation/knowledge 30%.

It is also noted that five out of ten Cypriots state that the degree of penetration of fake news in Cyprus is high. This opinion prevails mainly among graduates of higher education and ages 25 – 54. Regarding the media with the most fake news, 60% indicated social media (increased percentage compared to previous years), 20% television (decreased compared to last year) and 12% the web portals.

From the positions of the citizens in a significant number of statements, it appears that one out of two trusts Cypriot journalists (48%) and 42% of respondents the Cypriot media in general, percentages which show a degree of stability despite a slight drop from the previous survey. Also, 48% of participants in the survey considers Cypriot journalists reliable, 37% supports the reliability of the media in Cyprus and 32% the freedom of expression of Cypriot journalists.