Initial Surge in News Use around Coronavirus in the UK Has Been Followed by Significant Increase in News Avoidance

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Factsheet, May 2020

7 Pages Posted: 26 May 2020 Last revised: 12 Oct 2020

See all articles by Antonis Kalogeropoulos

Antonis Kalogeropoulos

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism; University of Liverpool - Department of Communication and Media

Richard Fletcher

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Date Written: May 19, 2020

Abstract

In this Reuters Institute's factsheet we examine people’s news avoidance during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK based on a survey fielded from 7 to 13 May 2020.

We find that:

After an initial surge in news use, there has been a significant increase in news avoidance, with 22% saying they often or always actively try to avoid the news (up from 15% in mid-April), growing to 59% if those who say they sometimes actively avoid the news are included (up from 49% in mid-April).

Women (26%) are more likely to avoid news than men (18%), compounding existing gender inequalities in news use, both probably at least in part due to unequally distributed caring responsibilities.

The vast majority of those who always or often avoid news (86%) say they are trying to avoid COVID-19 news at least some of the time, and most of them said they are primarily worried about the effect it has on their mood (66%). 33% say they feel there is too much news, and 28% say they avoid news because they feel there isn’t anything they can do with the information.

More people say they are actively avoiding news that rely on intentional choice (television, news websites/apps) than say they actively avoid news they may come across incidentally while doing other things (on social media, or sent to them via email and messaging apps).

30% think that the coronavirus situation in the UK is heading in the right direction (down from 35% in mid-April), and 20% (up from 10% in mid-April) think the UK is on the wrong track. Just under half (45%) think the picture is mixed.

Keywords: news, news avoidance, news finds me, UK, coronavirus, COVID-19

Suggested Citation

Kalogeropoulos, Antonis and Kalogeropoulos, Antonis and Fletcher, Richard and Nielsen, Rasmus Kleis, Initial Surge in News Use around Coronavirus in the UK Has Been Followed by Significant Increase in News Avoidance (May 19, 2020). Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Factsheet, May 2020, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3609184

Antonis Kalogeropoulos (Contact Author)

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ( email )

13 Norham Gardens
Oxford, OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

University of Liverpool - Department of Communication and Media ( email )

19-23 Abercromby Square
Liverpool, L69 7ZG

Richard Fletcher

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ( email )

13 Norham Gardens
Oxford, OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ( email )

13 Norham Gardens
Oxford, OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

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