INTRODUCTION Internet Institute, the World Internet Project, the European Social
Survey and the PEW Research Center for People and the Press.
The project « Political Information and citizenship in the digital
era » (Information politique et citoyenneté à l’ère numérique) – STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
Mediapolis is performed by CEVIPOF Centre for Political Research
at Sciences-Po and CARISM Centre d'analyse et de recherche The report begins with a short summary, followed by graphs and
interdisciplinaire sur les médias at l'Université Panthéon-Assas. their short descriptions showing the principal results from the
Mediapolis survey. All graphs in the report are based on cross-
MEDIAPOLIS STUDY tabulations that fulfil a statistical significance requirement at the 10
% level (Pearson’s Chi Square). Most of the graphs show the
The Mediapolis survey has used a representative sample for the outcomes for the population aged 15+. The report closes with a
French population aged 15 and above. It was based on a quota methodological description of the survey.
methodology. It enables to project the estimates to France as a The first part depicts the patterns of political news reception and
whole. The number of respondents was 1754. sharing political knowledge.
The second part describes the media use.
The third part is focusing on Internet use: the information fracture
INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT within the society (a profile of users, ex-users, non-users) and the
Internet usage in France
Mediapolis provides the French link to international studies on The final part examines sharing political news and political views in
citizenship and political participation, political conversations and direct communication and via Social Network Sites.
activity, media and Internet utility performed by the Oxford

How French citizens
get informed about
politics

To get political
Media most often used as source of political information information which
media do you use
(ranked 1st and 2nd)
most often? Rank your
100 first and second
choices
80 76
60
% of respondents
41
40
28
25
20 18
6
0
Television Radio Internet National press Regional press Free press
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1754

To get political
Media most often used as source of political information information which
(ranked 1st, evolution 2006 – 2009) media do you use
most often? Rank your
Television Radio Internet National press
first and second
100 choices.
80
68
61
57 58 58
% of respondents
60
48
40
21
20 17 16 17
14
11 11
10 10 9
8
6 8
5 6 7
0 5 5
Sep-06 Dec-06 Feb-07 Apr-07 May-07 Nov-09
Barometer CEVIPOF: 09.06 N = 5647, 12.06 N= 5240, 02.07 N = 5239, Panel CEVIPOF: 04.07 N = 4004, 05.07 N= 4006,
Mediapolis 12.09 N = 1668

How did you learn
First source of information about current events about this event ?
Television Radio Press Internet Other people
55
28
The referendum on minaret in Switzerland 10
6
1
50
28
The reform of history curriculum in high schools 10
5
7
52
28
The proposal to tax bankers's bonuses 9
7
3
0 20 40 60
% of respondents
Mediapolis 2009, *N = 346, **N = 535, *** N = 267

Did you hear the
Knowledge about current events by Education discussions about:
- The referendum on
No Yes
minaret in Switzerland
- The reform of history
curriculum in high
52
Studing schools
49
- The proposal to tax
bankers' bonuses
38
<BAC
62
28
BAC
72
23
BAC+2
77
14
BAC+4
86
0 20 40 60 80 100
% of respondents
Mediapolis 2009, N=1754

Did you hear the
Knowledge about current events by Interest in politics discussions about:
- The referendum on
No Yes minaret in Switzerland
- The reform of history
curriculum in high
100
schools
- The proposal to tax
83 bankers' bonuses
80
% of respondents
60
52
48
40
20 17
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N=1753

Among the different
Online sources of political information sources of political
information on the
Internet which one do
you use most often?
Independent websites
6%
Other sources
13%
Generalist information
Traditional media web portals
portals 57%
24%
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1195

Among the different
Online sources of political information by Education sources of political
information on the
Generalist information portals Traditional media web portals Other sources Independent websites Internet which one do
you use most often?
80
62
59 59
60
% of internet users
45
40
34
22 23
21
20 17
14 13
10
9
7
5
3
0
<BAC BAC BAC+2 BAC+4
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1169

To inform yourself
about politics do you
Political beliefs of your sources of political information usually use [media /
web sites / people]
which:
- have the same
viewpoint as you do
- have a different
both
both 10% viewpoint than you do
12%
both
- have both the same
different 11% and different points of
18%
the
view as you do
the same
46% same
different
different 48%
the 41%
42% same
72%
traditional media web sites other people

Media usage
in France

How much time per
Average time spend on media use by Lifestage day on average do
you: watch television,
TV general TV political programms Radio
watch political
programs and news on
1h38
television, listen to
the radio?
Students 0h31
0h57
2h02
Employed 0h43
1h56
2h35
Unemployed 0h38
1h40
2h46
Retired 1h
1h46
0 1 2 3
Mediapolis 2009, N=1741

How much time per
Average time spend on media use by Education day on average do
you: watch television,
TV general TV political programms Radio watch political
programs and news on
television, listen to
2h37 the radio?
<BAC 0h52
1h59
1h56
BAC 0h41
1h44
1h57
BAC+2 0h42
1h24
1h35
BAC+4 0h37
1h08
0 1 2 3
Mediapolis 2009, N=1742

How much time per
Average time spend on watching television day on average do
you: watch television,
by Interest in politics
watch political
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
programs and news on
television, listen to
3
the radio?
2h26
2h09
2
1 0h54
0h43
0
TV general TV political programms
Mediapolis 2009, N=1745

Which TV news do you
Popularity of TV news watch most
frequently?
Other news
15%
20h TF1
31%
24-hours news
6%
19h45 M6
6%
19-20 France 3
8%
13h TF1
14%
20h France2
20%
Mediapolis 2009, N= 1638

Which radio station do
Popularity of radio stations for political information you listen to most
frequently to get
information about
France Info politics?
None 10%
19%
France Inter
12%
Other radios
13% Europe 1
9%
Music radios RMC
8% Other 8%
public
radios
6%
RTL
15%
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1386

Which TV news do you
Interest in politics of TV news audience watch most
Not interested in politics Interested in politics frequently?
24-hours news 32 68
20h France2 40 60
19-20 France 3 61 39
20h TF1 65 35
13h TF1 73 27
19h45 M6 80 20
0 50 100
% of news audience
Mediapolis 2009, N=1637

Which radio station do
Intrest in politics of radio listeners you listen to most
frequently to get
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
information about
politics?
France Inter 27 73
Europe 1 36 64
France Info 40 60
RMC 43 57
Other public radios 46 55
RTL 56 44
Other radios 67 33
Music radios 82 19
0 50 100
% radio listeners
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1387

Which radio station do
Political profile of TV news audience you listen to most
frequently to get
Extreme left Parti Socialiste Les Verts Other Ecologie MoDem UMP Front National None information about
politics?
By
20h TF1 8 10 10 3 6 26 5 34
Among the political
parties and political
organisations named
13h TF1 7 13 7 3 4 30 6 29 below, please tell me
to which you feel most
close or least distant
20h France2 12 25 9 7 6 21 21 to
19-20 France
8 18 13 5 3 18 12 24
3
19h45 M6 5 10 11 4 6 19 1 44
24-hours
11 20 6 12 28 4 19
news
Other
13 16 13 4 8 18 4 24
journals
0 50 100
% respondents watching TV news
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1629

Which radio station do
Political profile of radio listeners you listen to most
frequently to get
Extreme left Parti Socialiste Les Verts Other Ecologie MoDem UMP Front National None
information about
politics?
France Info 9 23 9 3 10 20 4 23
By
Among the political
parties and political
France Inter 11 24 18 5 4 20 18 organisations named
below, please tell me
to which you feel most
Europe 1 8 15 11 3 4 32 7 20
close or least distant
to
RMC 7 11 8 4 11 26 6 29
RTL 8 17 8 2 5 32 4 23
Musical radios 13 7 17 2 3 17 5 38
Other public
7 23 9 7 8 21 4 22
radios
Other radios 7 11 13 3 4 22 5 35
0 50 100
% of radio listeners
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1374

Do you read: national,
Readership of national, regional and free press regional or
non-paid/free
Almost every day 2 to 3 times per week Less often Never Doesn't read any newspaper
newspapers?
5%
8% 6%
9% 20%
9%
10%
10%
56% 56% 56%
8% 24%
17%
6%
National newspaper Regional newspaper Free newspaper
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1743

Do you read: national,
Press readership by Age regional or
National newspaper Regional newspaper Free newspaper non-paid/free
newspapers?
7
15-24 7
13
6
25-34 11
4
7
35-49 15
5
10
50-64 27
4
13
65+ 37
2
0 10 20 30 40
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1743 % de répondants

Do you read: national
Press readership by Education newspapers, regional
National newspaper Regional newspaper Free newspaper newspapers, non-
paid/free press?
8
<BAC 24
4
8
BAC 15
9
5
BAC+2 14
6
15
BAC+4 10
7
0 20 40
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1743 % of respondents

Do you read: national
Interest in politics of press readers newspapers, regional
newspapers, non-
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
paid/free press?
National newspaper 37 63
Regional newspaper 49 51
Free newspaper 51 49
0 50 100
% of respondents
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1754

During the last 12
Average number of books read per year by Gender and Lifestage months, how many
books did you read?
20 (do not count school
or comic books).
15
Number of books
11.5
10.7
10 9.5 9.3
8.2
7.7
6.4
5
0
Total Women Men Students Employed Unemployed Retired
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1744

During the last 12
Average number of books read per year by months, how many
Monthly income and Profession books did you read?
(do not count school
20 or comic books).
16.8
15 14.5
11.8
Number of books
10.3
9.8
10 9.3
8.9
8.1 8.2
7.2
5
0
Mediapolis 2009, *N = 1656, **N = 1744

During the last 12
Average number of books read per year by months, how many
books did you read?
Interest in politics (do not count school
20 or comic books).
15
12.1
Number of books
10
7.4
5
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1735

The digital
divide in France

Do you use the
Use of the Internet Internet or did you
use the Internet in the
past?
Never used the Internet
24%
No, but used in the past
8%
Yes, current user
68%
Mediapolis 2009, N= 1753

How many years do
Average number of years of the Internet use by Gender and you use the Internet?
Education
10
8.8
8 7.7
7
6.7
6
6
number of years
5.4
4
2
0
Women Men <BAC BAC BAC+2 BAC+4
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1198

How many years do
Average number of years of the Internet use by you use the Internet?
Monthly income
10
8.9
8
8
6
6 5.7
number of years
4
2
0
<€1500 €1500 to €3000 €3000 to €5000 €5000 <
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1146

How many years do
Average number of years of the Internet use by you use the Internet?
Interest in politics
10
8 7.6
6 5.7
number of years
4
2
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1194

Do you use the
Use of the Internet by Gender and Lifestage Internet or did you
use the Internet in the
Non- Users Ex - Users Users past?
100
99
84
80 78
73
% of respondents
64
60 57
40
34
29
19
20
12
8 10 9
7 8 8
1
0
Women Men Students Employed Unemployed Retired
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1753, women = 915, men =838

Do you use the
Use of the Internet by Age Internet or did you
Non- Users Ex - Users Users use the Internet in the
past?
98
100 96
93
83
80
80
74
60 57
% of respondents
49
39
40 34
18
20
11 12 11
9 9
5 6
4
2
10
2
0
15-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75<
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1752

Do you use the
Use of the Internet by Agglomeration Internet or did you
use the Internet in the
Non- and Ex - Users Users past?
100
83
80
69
67
64
62
% of respondents
60
40 38
36
33
31
20 17
0
Rural community <20.000 inhabitants 20 to 100.000 >100.000 inhabitants Paris
inhabitants
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1752

Do you use the
Use of the Internet by Monthly income Internet or did you
use the Internet in the
Non- Users Ex - Users Users past?
100
93
88
80
73
% of respondents
60
46
40 43
19
20
11
8 9
3 4
3
0
<€1500 €1500 to €3000 €3000 to €5000 €5000 <
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1664

How often do you use
Frequency of the Internet use by Monthly income the Internet?
A few times per week or less often One time per day A few times per day
100
87
80
66
% of internet users
60 58
56
40
24 23 22
20 19
20
12
9
4
0
<€1500 €1500 to €3000 €3000 to €5000 €5000 <
Mediapolis 2009, N=1146

Reasons Non-users do
Reasons Non-users do not use the Internet not use the Internet
I do not know how to use a computer well 72
I do not have computer 71
The Internet is too complicated 56
Television, press and radio are sufficient 40
Too expensive 38
Surfing the Internet consume too much time 26
There is nothing interesting on the Internet 25
It is impossible to connect to the Internet at home or
18
work
0 20 40 60 80
Mediapolis 2009, N = 422 % of Non- users

Reasons Ex-users
Reasons Ex-users stopped using the Internet stopped using the
Internet
I no longer have a computer available 41
Too expensive 38
I'm afraid of being spied 33
It was too difficult to use 32
I no longer have Internet connection
21
available at home
I had bad experience with viruses and
16
spam
There is nothing interesting on the
16
Internet
0 20 40 60 80
Mediapolis 2009, N = 130 % of Ex-users

Internet usage
in France

Among the different
General online activity online activities which
Jan. 2007 Dec. 2009 are those that you
perform?
95
Search for information
97
85
Online transactions
59
37
Take part in forums and chats
25
Watch films, listen and 37
download music 36
30
Play online
19
16
Visit Social Network Sites
43
0 20 40 60 80 100
% of internet users
Sofres N=1043 (online survey), Mediapolis N=1113 (18+)

Among the different
General online activity by Age online activities which
Social Networks Films and music Transactions Forums Playing
are those that you
perform?
78
70
15-24 46
39
35
61
51
25-34 75
36
25
31
23
35-49 61
19
15
19
14
50-64 48
11
11
16
10
65+ 35
6
11
0 20 40 60 80 100
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1197 % of internet users

Among the different
General online activity by Interest in politics online activities which
Search information Social Networks Transactions Forums Playing
are those that you
perform?
98
Interested in politics
42
61
21
17
96
Not interested in politics
49
54
29
24
0 20 40 60 80 100
% of internet users
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1197

Among the different
Political online activity political online
Often Sometimes Rarely Never activities which are
those that you
Search for information about current perform?
14
political events 28
22
36
Search or send political humour 10
21
16
53
Watch political videos online 3
13
20
64
Share political information, links to 6
other people 15
14
65
Read political blogs 3
13
18
66
Visit web sites of political parties or 2
politicians 9
18
71
Participate in discussions on political 1
blogs and forums 2
6
91
0 20 40 60 80 100
Mediapolis 2009, N=1198 % of internet users

Among the different
Political online activity by Lifestage political online
activities which are
Search for information about current political events Share political information, links to other people those that you
Read political blogs Visit web sites of political parties or politicians perform?
Participate in discussions on political blogs and forums
42
18
Students 15
11
5
40
20
Employed 15
10
3
36
26
Unemployed 16
10
1
53
29
Retired 25
20
6
0 20 % of internet users 40 60
Mediapolis 2009, N=1197

Among the different
political online
Political online activity by Intrest in politics activities which are
those that you
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
perform?
Share political information,
links to other people
Search or send political Visit web sites of political
humour parties or politicians
32
34
19
25
6
Search for information about 61
Watch political videos online
current political events 28
Participate in discussions on
Read political blogs
political blogs and forums
Mediapolis 2009, N=1198

Among the different
Count of political online activity by Interest in politics political online
activities which are
no political online activity 1 to 2 political online activity 3 and more political online activity
those that you
perform?
100
80
% of internet users
60
51
40 41
40 36
23
20
9
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N=1195

Political conversations
and
on line social networks

How often do you
Fréquence des discussions politiques avec l'entourage discuss politics with
other people?
Never
14%
Often
24%
Rarely
23%
Sometimes
39%
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1754

How often do you
Frequency of political conversations by Monthly income discuss politics with
other people?
Never or Rarely Sometimes or Often
100
81
76
% of respondents
61
54
50 46
39
24
19
0
<€1500 €1500 to €3000 €3000 to €5000 €5000 <
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1756

How often do you
Frequency of political conversations by Interest in politics discuss politics with
other people?
Never or Rarely Sometimes or Often
100
86
56
% of respondents
50
44
14
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1744

In everyday life with
Number of people with whom you talk about politics how many people do
by Interest in politics you discuss politics?
None One 2 to 3 4 and more
60
45
40
36
35
% of respondents
34
20
20
12 12
7
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1754

In everyday life with
Number of people with whom you talk about politics how many people do
by Age you discuss politics?
None One 2 to 3 4 and more
19
15
15-24
46
19
16
16
25-34
41
27
20
16
35-49
42
22
21
19
50-64
37
22
33
15
65+
31
21
0 20 40 60
% of respondents
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1755

With whom do you
People with whom you talk about current politics talk about politics?
Rank 1st and 2nd
Other Other
4% 6% Spouse
Neighbours 13%
Neighbours
3%
Spouse 7%
Colleagues 29%
12%
Colleagues
14%
Family
29%
Friends
27%
Family Friends
25% 31%
On the first place* On the second place**
Mediapolis 2009, *N = 1502, **N = 1456

With whom do you
People with whom you talk about current politics talk most often about
by Age politics? Most often
Spouse Family Friends Colleagues Neighbours
6
41
15-24 39
9
2
31
25
25-34 28
15
% of respondents
37
17
35-49 19
19
3
38
20
50-64 23
10
4
23
30
65+ 33
1
8
0 25 50
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1503

Whose point of view is
Political opinion shapers by Gender the most important
for shaping your
political opinions?
family, 35
experts in media , 19
friends, 14
Total journalists, 9
on my own, 8
politicians, 7
colleagues , 3
42
17
13
Women 8
7
6
2
28
21
16
Men 9
10
8
4
0 25 50
% of respondents
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1746

Whose point of view is
Political opinion shapers by Interest in politics the most important
for shaping your
political opinions?
family, 25
experts in media , 26
Interested in politics
friends, 11
journalists, 11
on my own, 11
politicians, 10
colleagues , 2
44
Not interested in politics
13
17
7
6
5
3
0 25 50
% of respondents
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1747

Do you ever share
Posting political information on your social network profile political information
on your social
network profiles?
Often
4%
Sometimes
9%
Rarely
20%
Never
67%
Mediapolis 2009, N= 492

Do you ever share
Posting political information on your social network profile political information
on your social
by Interest in politics network profiles?
100
% of respondents possesing social network profile
80
60
40 38
29
20
0
Not interested in politics Interested in politics
Mediapolis 2009, N=492

Which of the following
Personal information you would provide online publicly personal information
would you share
publicly online?
Hobbies, 60
Date of birth, 59
Surname, 42
Religion, 39
Private photos, 31
Address mail, 29
Political opinions, 26
Name of your spouse, 23
0 20 40 60 80
% of internet users
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1198

Which of the following
Personal information you would provide online publicly personal information
by Gender would you share
Women Men
publicly online?
Political opinions
Hobbies Address mail
30
63
35
56
23
23
35 27 34
49 36
43
Surname Private photos
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1198
Religion

Personal information you would provide online publicly Which of the following
personal information
by Lifestage
would you share
Hobbies, 82
publicly online?
Date of birth, 77
Surname, 56
Students Religion, 47
Private photos, 58
Address mail, 34
Political views, 37
Spouse name, 34
57
55
40
Employed 36
27
27
23
21
67
65
38
Unemploy 43
ed 41
40
34
23
44
58
42
Retired 42
14
26
26
22
0 20 40 60 80 100
% of internet users
Mediapolis 2009, N = 1200

METHODOLOGY Questionnaire
The survey was performed using CATI (Computer Assisted The questionnaire was designed by a group of political science
Telephone Interviewing) on 1754 individuals above 15 years of and media researchers from both CEVIPOF and CARISM. For
age from the 23rd November to 12th December 2009. The comparison, some questions are founded on previously raised
interviews were performed by Ifop’s trained interviewers, from issues in other national and international studies. Many are
Monday to Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. under the original in topic or design. Questions used in the analysis are
supervision of the Ifop Strategy and Opinion Department and visible in the main part of the report on the side of the graphs’
researchers from CEVIPOF. section.
The questionnaire was piloted first and afterwards some minor
Sampling changes were made. The questionnaire consists of two parts:
general questions asked to all and a separate section based on
The sample is based on quotas of gender, age, profession of the filtering questions (after which only a part of population heard
head of family (current or previous), the level of education sub-questions). The filter questions were used for the section of
(which allowed to control for the higher response rates among Internet utility (users, ex-users and non-users), press reading,
more educated), administrative regions and the category of knowledge about the event, conversation about politics and
agglomeration. profiles on Social Network Sites.
Sampling of the telephone numbers
85% to 90% of households possess a fixed telephone line.
However, due to the evolution of the French telephone market, it
is no longer possible to perform the telephone survey based only
on fixed lines as some targeted groups are especially difficult to
interview (for example, young, working respondents). The sample
of telephone numbers used was thus derived from both fixed and
mobile numbers, and 25% of interviews were performed only on
mobile phones. This method allowed to reach people who no
longer have a fixed number at home. The refusal rate for the fixed
numbers was 64.8% while for mobiles 51.7%.