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TheJournal.ie is the most popular online Irish news source for the second year in a row

Over a third of Irish news consumers checked TheJournal.ie this week according to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report.

THEJOURNAL.IE HAS TOPPED the table of the most-read online news brands in Ireland, according to an authoritative new survey.

For the second year in a row, the Reuters Institute Digital News Report for Ireland has found that TheJournal.ie is the most popular online news source in Ireland.

Over one-third of consumers surveyed for the research by DCU’s FuJo Institute – 34% of them – said that they sought out TheJournal.ie as a source of news. This represents a growth of 2 points on the site’s poll-topping position last year.

RTÉ News came second to TheJournal.ie at 33% with the Irish Independent online dropping a point on last year to 30%. BreakingNews.ie was checked by 24% of those surveyed, with the Irish Times online at 21%, a drop of 2% on last year.

TheJournal.ie also topped the league as the main source of news online for those surveyed. Both this site and RTÉ News were cited by 21% of respondents as their main port of call for daily digital news. The Irish Independent online was checked first by 19%, while both BreakingNews.ie and Irish Times online both came in next at 12%.

digital Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018 Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018

(To view this graph in higher-res, click here)

The study, funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, shows that the audience for TheJournal.ie has a fairly even gender split with 34% of males surveyed saying they use it and 35% of females accessing the site. For a look at the age groups who are most likely to access the main digital news sites in Ireland, this graph has more information:

sources Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018 Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018

(To view in higher-res, click here)

Traditional news platforms

Of traditional news brands – broadcasters and newspapers – RTÉ’s TV news still rules the roost, with 51% of respondents saying they use it as a source of news and 38% saying it is their main source of news on a traditional platform. Sky News is next, with 32% of Irish people surveyed saying they use it as a source, RTÉ radio news third at 31%, BBC News at 29% and TV3 news at 27%. Print newspapers make an appearance after that with the Irish Independent checked by 25% of those surveyed. After that, local radio is a source for 22% of those surveyed, Today FM is at 20%, The Irish Times at 20%, Newstalk at 19% and local or regional newspapers and the Sunday Independent both coming in at 14%.

The report says: “Breakdown by gender throws up fascinating findings. In TV, more men than women watch Sky News and BBC News. The same applies to RTÉ News and Newstalk in radio; and to the Irish Independent in print.”

It continues:

Broadly, in TV, audience share increases with age. For example, the largest cohort of all, at 72%, watching RTÉ TV News, is also the oldest. Similarly, RTÉ Radio News captures the largest and oldest audience at 49 percent in the 55+ category. A similar pattern is seen at the Sunday Independent with its highest percentage readership level being in the 55+ category. A greying audience must be of some concern to media managements in each of these news organisations.

Trust in news

The average Irish news consumer is more trusting (slightly) of the news they receive here than their average EU counterpart (71% of Irish people surveyed say they trust the news they consume, versus an EU average of 62%).

However, a minority of those surveyed said they had trust in news which they found through social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and so on (only 19% felt they could trust sources they discovered on these platforms). Saying this, over half of those surveyed access news through social media, at 53%. This is second only to those who say TV news is their main source (56%). Radio comes in at 45%, online sites at 44% and newspapers as a main source have fallen from 40% last year to 35% this year.

Director of FuJo, Dr Jane Suiter, notes that “recent studies have found that those who are older, centrist and tend towards the consumption of traditional media tend to trust both their own media and media in general more than others”, which fits with the Irish market even if this is changing as the trend towards digital sources continues to grow.

Dr Suiter also points out:

But other factors also matter; in particular concerns about disinformation, perhaps particularly in referendum and election campaigns where perceived political bias is a concern.

There is a good deal of talk around the concept of ‘fake news’ and this research shows that there is a wide definition employed by Irish news consumers around what constitutes ‘fake news’ for them. This can range from “unintentional mis-information such as poor journalism (a concern for 56% of consumers) and the deliberate manipulation of content through fabricated stories (a concern for 61%), distorted facts (a concern for 59%) and advertorials (a concern for 46%),” according to DCU’s Dr Eileen Culloty.

She adds:

“Fake news” means different things to different people and so the public perception of the problem is amorphous.

“In Ireland, only 28% understand the role of algorthims” in controlling how news bubbles up on a personal social media feed, according to the survey. The researchers suggest that there is a greater need for digital literacy among the population and that there should be continued support for initiatives across Europe to help news consumers better understand who is feeding them information and how they can decipher the reliability of this information.

Who’s willing to pay for news?

There was more positive news for online news in this category with more Irish news consumers paying for online subscriptions in 2018 when compared to 2017 (from 10% to 12% – in 2015, that figure was just 7%).

When looking at those who will consider paying for news online this year, fewer people say they are “very unlikely” to do so – 66% agreed with that statement last year while 48% agreed with it this year.

Over one-fifth of Irish news consumers would consider making a donation towards a news project here this year (22.4%). That is above the UK (17.6%) and the EU average of 19.7%).

pay Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018 Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018

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    Mute Philip Nolan
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    Aug 31st 2011, 12:34 PM

    As a very frequent traveller, I have used the scanners in US airports and could care less to be honest. I’ve seen people more exposed in their photo albums on Facebook. The queues for the scanners are much quicker than the standard queues, the person instructing you how to stand can’t see the scan anyway (the images are monitored remotely) and it’s not like they’re going to discuss your naked form with anyone you know! In Schipol recently, I was subjected to a pat-down that would have been classed as a sexual assault in the real world and I was livid about it. I’d rather have been offered the option of the scanner.

    43
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    Mute Bertie SirCastic
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    Aug 31st 2011, 12:28 PM

    Guy in the xray could do with a Steak sandwich or two!

    40
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    Mute Robert LYNCH
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    Aug 31st 2011, 11:48 AM

    Great…NOT!!!… Dublin yet again are going to follow the example of London Airports it would seem… I personal have a problem with the level of intrusion and the general feeling of being treated like dirt that flying by plane has become. I am flying via London in a couple of weeks, but since I have now found out that this full-body scan is now mandatory there, I will no longer fly in our out of London unless it is my destination. As for the effectiveness of these scanners (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimeter_wave_scanner), I have serious doubts in general that any of this treatment like cattle is improving anyone’s safety.

    38
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    Mute Gain & Sustain
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    Aug 31st 2011, 12:28 PM

    Clearly you have something to hide, I think this system is great

    46
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    Mute stephen corrigan
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    Aug 31st 2011, 3:47 PM

    1 question, bomb or scan?? Even drugs can be found so whats the problem.

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    Mute Robert LYNCH
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    Aug 31st 2011, 3:51 PM

    Maybe I do. However what I have to hide is not going to bring down a plane, e.g. prosthetics including breast prostheses, and other medical equipment normally hidden, such as colostomy bags are all things that someone may not want the people around him/her to be aware of. I am sure you can think of a whole range of other things that are the private business of individuals and of no concern to airport authorities. However all these things will be viewed and displayed by this machine with little if in any improvement to airport security.

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    Mute Terry Connolly
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    Aug 31st 2011, 12:30 PM

    love the belly button!

    30
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    Mute EM
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    Aug 31st 2011, 12:47 PM

    If the image is as per the picture above then i’d have no issue with this tbh as it’s not particularly invasive.

    26
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    Mute Denzer
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    Aug 31st 2011, 1:33 PM

    Id be more concerned with the potential radiation effects. Had a quick look through the literature… There is Very little peer reviewed information supporting it as non genotoxic- as claimed by manufacturers. May not be a concern for those who take a couple of flights a year but there could be legitimate concerns from frequent flyers with prolonged exposure to the technology.

    20
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    Mute starflyergold
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    Aug 31st 2011, 2:08 PM

    Germany trialled these in Hamburg and the machines produced an staggering failure rate. 61% of pax passed through without a problem, 31% had to be padded down (hard). In 54% of cases a false alarm was recorded. Result: significant delays in processing passengers.

    20
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    Mute Maura Murphy
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    Sep 1st 2011, 1:25 PM

    Germany has abandoned plans to use scanners at its airports and will not reconsider until the technology is more reliable and meets “high security standards,” interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said Wednesday

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    Mute Aidan M
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    Aug 31st 2011, 12:02 PM

    Stupid.

    18
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    Mute Niall Carson
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    Aug 31st 2011, 5:06 PM

    What bunch of sheeple we have become. These are dangerous microwaves. Seriously read into this a bit more. There have been many problems with this in America. Not least the TSA agent who shot his colleagues because they made jokes about the size of his penis after a training scan.

    15
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    Mute bob_mac_E
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    Aug 31st 2011, 1:55 PM

    Are xray machines not cancerous? Do the guards hide behind lead walls like a nurse at the hospital?

    15
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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Aug 31st 2011, 2:06 PM

    @Bob – When I spoke to DAA earlier they were keen to stress that they’re not “x-ray machines”, in that their intensity is much lesser than a standard booth.

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    Mute Fred FedUp
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    Aug 31st 2011, 2:09 PM

    Yep, they are cancerous…No, guards not behind lead walls, just eating up the radiation like it’s good for them and getting cancer..From Chicago, TSA heads now have cancer from operating these type of machines.. http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/30/did-airport-scanners-give-boston-tsa-agents-cancer/ So, we’ve option A – groping and pat downs to make sure we’re not “dangerous” or option B – an invasive scan that will shower you in radiation..Just great…This is 1984 people…

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Aug 31st 2011, 2:24 PM

    @Fred (and Bob): The machines that TIME article refers to are a different type of ‘booth’-style scanner than is being considered in Dublin.

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    Mute gareth byrne
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    Aug 31st 2011, 6:38 PM

    Jesus.These scanners are on TRAIL for 18 months in staff areas.Not been used in public areas.Which mean they are not coming in at dap untill ALL tests are carried out.What does it take for people to cop on.These are the times we live in.get used to it.

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    Mute Paddy O'Reilly
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    Aug 31st 2011, 9:13 PM

    Looks like milimeter wave scanners only penetrate the clothes and are stopped by skin. So why not just tape a load of contraband to your leg, then wrap it in pigskin (the most common human analog from Mythbusters). Sorted.

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    Mute Oil Foster
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    Aug 31st 2011, 8:14 PM

    Thank god for the Internet, giving people totally accurate and factual information.

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    Mute Bertie SirCastic
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    Aug 31st 2011, 3:09 PM

    Would be hilarious seeing Hugh Hefner pass through one off these the morning after…

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    Mute Patrick Halpin
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    Sep 2nd 2011, 7:45 AM

    Hh

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