Despite 600m netizens in China, more people trust newspapers

(ECNS) – A report released on Monday showed the number of Chinese netizens has exceeded 600 million, but respondents in a survey show more Chinese trust television and newspapers than the Internet, according to the Beijing Daily.

According to the report issued by the Chinese Academy of Society and Science, 81.1 percent of respondents trust TV, 70.3 percent trust newspapers, and only 50.4 percent show trust in Internet media.

Thanks to the Internet and new media, people can read faster and obtain more diversified information, but authenticity of the information is easily challenged, the report said.

Compared with one hour Chinese people spent on the Internet six years ago, they added two more hours, making the time they spent on the Internet keep up with what they spent on TV.

Among urban residents, 86.9 percent go online at least three times a week, 70 percent read newspapers frequently, and less than 50 percent read magazines or listen to the radio.

Even though the number of people reading newspapers often has decreased, traditional outlets such as newspapers are still the most trusted media for Chinese, the report said.