A recent study by CNN.com has revealed that television is still the prime information resource for 72% of young Arabs, however, only 40% said they trusted the information broadcast. The fifth annual Arab Youth Survey from ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller shows the level of trust in information disseminated via television had shrunk 20% in the two years […]
A recent study by CNN.com has revealed that television is still the prime information resource for 72% of young Arabs, however, only 40% said they trusted the information broadcast.
The fifth annual Arab Youth Survey from ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller shows the level of trust in information disseminated via television had shrunk 20% in the two years since 2011.
“There’s a big family market in the Middle East. You sit in a living room with your parents or peers and watch TV. During Ramadan, it’s the biggest activity. But that doesn’t mean you trust it,” Sunil John, CEO, ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller is quoted as saying.
The credibility of television in the region is being further weakened by the editorial stances taken by the two biggest news broadcasters on upheaval in Egypt, John reportedly said.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera has been widely criticised for alleged bias towards the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted president Mohamed Morsi, while the Saudi-backed Al Arabiya has drawn disapproval for apparently taking the opposite political view.
The report also found that 26% of those surveyed said they trust online news, while 22% trust social media networks.
For the extensive Arab Youth Survey, Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) conducted face-to-face interviews with 3,000 18-24 year olds in 15 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Yemen).
