A SIGNIFICANT majority of Filipinos believe the local mainstream media are doing well in reporting the news fair and accurately, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 38 countries released Thursday (Friday in Manila).
The Philippines ranked second among countries whose local media mainstream media were reporting news accurately (86 percent) and reporting political issues fairly (78 percent), behind Tanzania which occupies the top spot.
Those saying the Philippine mainstream media were reporting the news accurately were well above the global median of 62 percent and American median at 56 percent.
Mainstream media in the country are facing allegations of perceived ‘bias’ from propagandists —many of whom occupy high-ranking positions in government.
Filipinos think the local news media are doing well in reporting news about government leaders and officials on a comfortable third spot at 83 percent, behind Tanzania and Indonesia.
Some 87 percent of respondents said the mainstream media were doing well in reporting the most important news of the day, sitting at fourth spot globally behind Tanzania, Indonesia and The Netherlands.
In the Philippines, more than half or 52 percent of respondents said it was “never acceptable” for news media to favor one political party over the other when reporting the news, while 41 percent, or four-in-ten said it was “sometimes acceptable.”
Also, some 85 percent of the younger population are more likely than those older to watch the local news closely, while the same goes to those who have more education at 62 percent.
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.
The global survey, taken spring last year in nearly 38 countries, had a sampling margin of error at 4.3 percent.