Interest in public affairs, media use and trust in sources
Zimbabweans are showing a growing interest in public affairs, with respondents mostly moving
out of the mid‐response category of ‘not very interested’. Those who are interested or very
interested in politics and public affairs rose from 42% (2010) to 51% (2012). The 2012 figure,
however, is still more modest than that of 2009.
Besides using personal sources of information and opinion on public matters, many
Zimbabweans depend on public and private mass media that are electronic, print or based on
mobile phone technology. There is much consistency in media uses from 2010 to 2012. Radio
use shows a mild decline, and television and newspapers small increases. The internet retains its
previously very modest use and cell‐based technology establishes a small presence.
The exploration of trust inthe media sources that are most commonly used for news on politics
and public affairs shows that radio – and that would be ZBC radio – is very well trusted by ZANU‐
PF supporters, is trusted by just under 50% of MDC‐T supporters and by 41% of those who keep
their vote their secret. ZANU‐PF supporters are somewhat less trusting of television than of
radio. The two parties’ supporters and the undeclared are generally rather similar in the trust
they have in their sources of information.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐000‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
9