APPENDIX
III
PUBLIC ATTITUDE TO NEWS PRESENTATION
SECRET
FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY.
An inquiry made by the Wartime Social Survey for the Ministry of Information.
Interviewing was carried out between April 30th and May 13th, 1942.
1. “
Is there anything in particular you would like to have more news about
?”
No.
%
Yes
:
470
23.2
No
:
1562
76.8
Sample:
2032
The table given below shows that 44.6% of these answering “Yes” any that they want more “real or true news”, or “more about the war
in general
”. It is possible that some of the informants answering “No” might have given this answer if they had not taken note of the words “anything
in particular
” in the question. Some interviewers had the impression that this was the case. This point should be borne in mind in considering the detailed results.
a.
Sex
Men showed a greater desire for more news than women.
Men
Women
Total
%
%
%
Yes
:
29.7
18.6
23.2
No
:
70.3
81.4
76.8
Sample
875
1159
b.
Age
Breakdown into age groups shown little significant difference in replies except that the “over 65” group are less desirous of having more news that other are groups.
Under 20
20-30
30-45
45-65
Over 65
Total
%
%
%
%
%
%
Yes:
22.8
26.2
25.1
23.9
10.1
76.8
No:
77.2
73.8
74.9
76.1
89.9
23.2
Sample
171
373
685
561
217
c.
Occupation
There are some differences between different occupational groups. Clerical workers and those in the managerial and professional group have a relatively high proportion wanting more news; whereas housewives and those in the retired and unoccupied group show the opposite tendency.
Clerical
Managerial & Professional
Housewives
Retired & Unoccupied
Total
%
%
%
%
%
Yes
:
44.1 (±8.8)
41.2 (± 3.8)
14.9
12.1 (±5.6)
23.2
No
:
56.9
58.8
85.1
87.9
76.8
Sample
136
131
626
132
Other occupational groups show no statistically significant differences.
d.
Geographical
There is a slight tendency for people living in urban districts to want more news those living in rural districts.
Urban
Rural
Total
%
%
%
Yes
24.0
19.1 (±4.8)
23.2
No
76.0
80.9
76.8
1768
167
2.
What they wanted more news about
Interviewers were asked to record the actual words of those informants who said that there were some things they wanted more news about. Replies are classified as follows:
% of those wanting more news
More true or real news
120
25.5
More about the war in general
87
18.5
British Forces overseas
63
13.4
The home front (miscellaneous)
62
13.2
War production and women's war work
24
5.1
Air-raids on Britain
22
4.7
Food rationing
21
4.5
Relatives overseas
21
4.5
R.A.F. & Commando raids
17
When will the war be over?
16
Russia
14
Europe and occupied countries
13
War at sea, Navy
13
What is America doing?
12
Post-war reconstruction
9
India
8
Sample
470
It should be noted that the percentages given above are not percentages of the whole sample but only of those wanting more news, that is to say, 23.2% of the sample.
a.
Sex
Men were more inclined than women to mention more than one thing, and to be concerned about real or true news.
Men
Women
Total
%
%
%
More true or real news
31.3
18.5
25.5
More about war in general
20.8
15.3
18.5
Home front (miscellaneous)
13.9
10.2
13.4
British Forces overseas
11.2
16.2
13.2
Sample
259
216
There is a high proportion of women wanting more news of British Forces overseas.
b.
Age
Analysis into age groups shows some differences:
Under 30
30-45
Over 45
Total
%
%
%
%
More true or real news
14.8 (±6.4)
29.7
30.8
25.5
More about war in general
16.2
20.4
17.3
18.5
Home Front (miscellaneous)
18.3 (±6.4)
11.7
11.6
13.4
British Forces overseas
10.6
12.2
14.1
13.2
Sample
142
172
156
Older people are more concerned about real or true news.
3.
“On the whole are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the B.B.C. News Bulletins?”
Satisfied
64.6
Dissatisfied
18.3
Indifferent
9.5
No Wireless
7.6
Sample
2016
The answer “no wireless” was only recorded where this was given as a reason for expressing no opinion.
a.
Sex
Men and women in the same proportions answered “satisfied” but men in a higher proportion than women answered “dissatisfied”; women in a higher proportion were indifferent and had no wireless.
Men
Women
%
%
Satisfied
64.3
64.8
Dissatisfied
24.6
13.5
Indifferent
6.7
11.5
No wireless
4.4
10.2
Sample
867
1151
It should be noted that some of those who had no wireless may have expressed an opinion as a result of hearing the news on other people's wirelesses. This may account for the difference between men and women. In general, men are usually more ready to express opinions on news than women.
b.
Age
There is a slight tendency for people in the “under 20” age group to have a more favourable attitude than those in other groups. The “over 65” age group has a high proportion without wirelesses. Otherwise there is little significant difference between groups.
%
%
%
%
%
%
Under 20
20-30
30-45
45-65
over 65
Total
Satisfied
72.1(±6.2)
62.0
64.1
65.9
62.7
64.6
Dissatisfied
10.1(±4.8)
17.6
21.6
19.8
10.2
18.3
Indifferent
13.6
11.1
9.2
8.6
6.1
9.5
No wireless
4.2
9.3
5.1
5.7
21.0
(±5.4)
7.6
Sample
169
387
684
556
215
Breakdown into occupational groups, urban and rural districts, and region, shows no significant differences.
4.
Reasons for dissatisfaction
% of those dissatisfied
Don't tell us all they could
90
24.4
Hold back truth.
Don't say enough
Too much padding
45
12.2
Not enough real news
Too vague. Not enough detail
19
5.1
Too much repetition
61
16.6
Too dry, dull, stereotyped
38
10.3
Put over badly
Should be clearer, simpler
17
4.6
Hard to understand
News is too late. Other
35
9.5
countries give news earlier
Give more news than they should
58
15.7
Give away information to enemy
Miscellaneous
42
11.4
Sample
369
Breakdowns of these answers into sex and age groups show no statistically significant differences.
The percentage figures given add up to more than 100% because of people giving more than on reason.
