By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Korean teenagers prefer Internet portal sites to newspapers for getting news, and trust them more than conventional print media.
A survey conducted on 408 middle and high school students in September showed that the Internet was their primary source for obtaining news information, according to the Korea Press Foundation Wednesday.
They used the Internet for 166 minutes a day on average and watched terrestrial television for 105 minutes. The average time they spent watching cable television came in at 81 minutes and reading newspapers at 23 minutes.
When asked which media they are likely to use the most when they become adults, 46 percent selected Internet portals, while 25 percent picked terrestrial television; 12 percent Internet news; 7 percent free newspapers distributed at subway stations; and only 5 percent newspapers. The rest chose other media.
``For teenagers, the Internet is a more commonly used media source than newsprint dailies. They have easier access to the Internet and that's why they prefer online news,'' said Yoo Sun-young, a researcher at the foundation.
The survey presented 30 media, public and private organizations and asked the students to rate their credibility. Terrestrial broadcasters MBC and KBS, portal sites and Hangyoreh daily ranked first, second, fourth and fifth, respectively. But JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo and Chosun Ilbo ranked 22nd, 24th, and 25th, respectively. Netizens, on the other hand, were ranked the third most reliable source of information.
``What is notable is that so-called progressive, or anti Lee Myung-bak administration media topped the ranking, while conservative newspapers rated low. Those dailies even obtained lower points than Internet shopping sites,'' Yoo said.
She said teenagers seem to have developed such preference after the protests against the resumption of American beef imports.
``Conservative and progressive newspapers clearly showed their political tendencies through their reports about anti-U.S. beef imports rallies. While comparing reports of various newspapers, students seem to have distrust of conservative ones, which were critical of the rallies, as many students took part in the demonstrations,'' Yoo said.
More than 36 percent answered that they obtained information about the candlelight protests and beef imports deals through Internet portals, while 35 percent did so though friends or family, 24.8 percent through online communities, and 13.5 percent through KBS evening news.
rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr
1 | Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism |
![[INTERVIEW] Ex-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/59da8df88faa4a50ad42945501b03bca.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[REVIEW] Musical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/3934be1fa6844478b619a015d610bc5b.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df32c60c8204448e98ccdb9841366bec.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
