Where do Ukrainians read the news: changes in media consumption

Where do Ukrainians read the news? — survey by Gradus Research

The research company Gradus Research conducted a survey on the media consumption of Ukrainians in January 2023. The results show that there is a continuing trend of switching to sources of information that make it possible to find out about sociopolitical events the most quickly — messengers and social networks. Among the most watched content on TV, news programs remain the most popular.

People media and user-generated content are at the top

People increasingly prefer to consume information on platforms where user-generated content prevails, and news appear instantly. 65% of respondents learn about events in messengers, and 61% — in social networks. Whereas in August 2020, the share of those who read news in messengers was only 41%. At the same time, the level of trust in messengers is strikingly different among women and men.

Online media and national TV channels recede into the background. Only a third of the surveyed citizens consume news from these sources of information. The share of using online media as a news source has almost halved compared to August 2020. These traditional sources of information are mostly used by representatives of the 55-60 age group. At the same time, the choice of the main channels for receiving information differs significantly among residents of big cities and small towns.

“We’re observing a trend toward more news consumption in messengers and social networks, which was triggered by the start of a full-scale invasion. A year ago, it was a matter of survival for Ukrainians — to find out about the events of the war as quickly as possible, and as the security situation remains complicated, these media will continue to be at the top of the list,” comments Evgeniya Bliznyuk, sociologist, CEO & Founder of Gradus Research.

The study was conducted by the research company Gradus Research using the method of self-filling the questionnaire in the mobile application. The Gradus online panel displays the population structure of cities with more than 50,000 residents aged 18-60 by gender, age, settlement size and region. Period: January 24-26, 2022. Sample size: 1190 respondents.

The full survey report is available on a commercial basis upon request at sales@gradus.app.