Television remains the main source of information for Russians and respondents are more likely to
express confidence in this particular source. Nevertheless, there are significant differences in
socio-demographic groups. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of respondents
using Telegram channels as sources of news about what is happening, since the beginning of the
year, the audience of Telegram channels has tripled.
The popularity of the main sources of information has not changed much. In October, 64% of
respondents noted television as the main resource for receiving news (69% in March, 64% in May,
62% in August, 65% in September). 39%, 32% and 18% of respondents, respectively, most often
find out information about events in the country and the world from online publications, social
networks and Telegram channels. A sharp increase in the use of Telegram channels to receive
news was noted in the spring, since the beginning of the year their audience has tripled.
TV is the least popular as the main source of information among the youngest respondents, where
about a third of respondents (37%) use it. It is more typical for respondents aged 18-24 to learn
news from social networks (60%) and online publications (39%). It is also in this group that
Telegram channels are most popular compared to the rest (33%). The older the respondents, the
more popular TV is as the main resource for receiving news and, accordingly, alternative
resources are less popular.
When considering the responses of respondents, depending on the size of their place of
residence, TV enjoys almost equal popularity in all types (about 62%), with the exception of cities
with a population of up to 100 thousand people, where 71% of respondents use television as the
main source of information. Among the residents of Moscow, radio (25%, in other types of
settlements about 10%), “friends, relatives, neighbours” (35%, in others – about 15%), online
publications (50%, in others – about 30%) and Telegram channels stand out as sources of
information (33%, in others – about 18%).
The trust in television and social networks as news sources decreased slightly, while the trust in
online publications and Telegram channels increased.
TV’s credibility in news coverage directly depends on the age of respondents. If a quarter of
respondents in the 18-24-year-old group trust television, then 64% in the 55-year-old and older
group already trust it. In addition, the younger the respondent, the greater the trust in alternative
resources. Thus, respondents aged 18-24 most trust information from social networks (35%) and
online publications (25%).
Among residents of various types of settlements, Muscovites trust TV the least (41%), most of all residents of cities with a population of up to 100 thousand people (55%). Muscovites also trust
Internet publications more than others (22%), Telegram channels (22%) and “friends, relatives,
neighbours” (22%), but less information from social networks (10%, in other types of settlements about 16%).
METHODOLOGY
The All-Russian Levada Center survey was conducted on October 20-26, 2022 on a
representative All-Russian sample of urban and rural population of 1,604 people aged 18 years
and older in 137 localities, 50 subjects of the Russian Federation. The study is conducted at th
respondent’s home by a personal interview method. The distribution of responses is given as a
percentage of the total number of respondents together with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error in the sample of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators close to 50%
2.9% for indicators close to 25% / 75%
2.0% for indicators close to 10% / 90%
1.5% for indicators close to 5% / 95%
ANO “Levada-Center” is included in the register of non-profit organizations performing the
functions of a foreign agent.