Social networks overtake papers

The Nation

Social networks have become a more popular source of flood information than newspapers, according to a survey of 17 flood-hit provinces, including Bangkok.

However, people turn to television the most, said Noppadol Kannikar, director of Abac Poll.

That remained true before and after the flood at 97-98 per cent.

The opinion survey, conducted on 3,096 households from November 9-15, found fewer people in flood-hit areas reading newspapers - 35.1 per cent, compared with 39.1 per cent during normal times.

A possibly reason was the difficulty in accessing inundated areas to make newspaper deliveries, he said.

News gathering from the radio was on the rise especially in Greater Bangkok - 43.8 per cent versus 29.1 per cent.

Online newspapers saw growing readerships, from 16.3 per cent to 24.8 per cent in Greater Bangkok and 15.8 per cent to 21.5 per cent in the other seven hard-hit provinces.

Social media such as mobile-phone texting, Facebook and Twitter increased from 19.5 per cent to 25.1 per cent in metropolitan Bangkok and 18.8 per cent to 24.3 per cent in the other provinces.

-- The Nation 2011-11-17

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The last sentence finally got around to commenting on social networks, the basis of the headline and presumably the story. What disgraceful writing. No wonder people are supposedly turning to social networking. The Thai English press is essentially "content free."

True they have been practical for those who were able to reach the net. Some social networks have disappointed me because they are not neutral and have abused this disaster to promote political instability.