Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Every seventh respondent watched the press conference from the beginning till the end.

MOSCOW, December 19, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey describing Russians’ interest in the president’s press conference and their assessments of the question-and-answer session involving journalists.

The Russian people’s interest in presidential press conference reached an all-time high in 2017: 60% of Russians (based on the December 15-17 survey data) are aware of the content of press conference; last year this share was 51%. Fourteen percent of Russians watched the press conference live without interruption (they were mainly older respondents rather than young Russians; 27% watched certain excerpts; a further 19% learnt about the most popular questions and answers from the news programs.

The assessments of the content outperform the previous years’ perceptions. Half of TV viewers and those who learnt about the content from the news programs (46%) say that the Putin’s performance was quite interesting; about one-third (31%) report to be interested in particular topics; a further 6% think that the press conference was interesting but too lengthy. The percentage of negative assessments is small: 5% consider the discussion to be boring; 5% are disappointed with the session.

The level of satisfaction with the outcomes of the 2017 press conference is equal to the previous year high (88%; from 62% of those aged 18-24 to 95% of those aged 60+). Ten percent of Russians who watched the press conference live or in the news programs are dissatisfied with the answers of the president.

Most of Russians can easily recall Xenia Sobchak’s question about candidate competition and opposition (19%). This is followed by the question asked by the director of a fish processing plant (initially pretended to be a journalist) (14%) and a question of a Ukrainian journalist about Donbass (8%). Social topics look less remarkable.

The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on December 15-17, 9-10, 2017. The survey involved 1,800 Russians aged 18 and over, and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

The 2006-2016 results are based on household surveys.

This week President Putin responded to the journalists’ questions live. Did you watch the Q&A session? * (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Yes, I watched the session from the beginning till the end

11

11

10

15

13

11

14

Yes, I watched certain excerpts live

23

23

19

21

22

24

27

I found out about basic questions and answers from the news programs, newspapers and the online media

14

18

12

12

11

16

19

No, I did not keep track of the session

51

47

57

50

53

48

40

Don’t know

1

1

2

2

1

1

0

*In 2011, the question referred to the D. Medvedev press conference; up to 2015, the question was “Did you follow the conversation between the Russian president and the mass media representatives?”

Which statement best describes your impressions of the latest president session? *(closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who followed the press conference personally or found out on the news)

2011 **

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

It was really interesting

15

17

22

42

36

36

46

Certain topics were interesting, certain not

40

47

46

37

38

38

31

It was interesting but too lengthy

12

13

10

8

9

9

6

It was boring; I was not impressed much

13

11

11

6

8

8

5

Nothing but disappointment  and irritation  

12

8

8

4

5

4

5

Don’t know

8

4

3

3

4

5

7

* Up to 2015 the question was “Which of the following statements can best describe your impression of the presidential press conference?”

** In 2011, the question referred to the D. Medvedev press conference

Are you generally satisfied with the way V. Putin answered the questions of the journalists?
 
(closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who followed the press conference personally or found out on the news)

2006

2007

2011 *

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Rather satisfied

81

79

58

66

66

82

81

88

88

Rather dissatisfied

12

12

27

24

26

13

16

9

10

Don’t know

7

9

15

10

8

5

3

3

2

*In 2011, the question referred to the D. Medvedev press conference

Which questions and answers did you like/dislike and remember most? (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % of those who followed the press conference personally or found out on the news)

 

Total respondents

Answer to Sobchak / about Navalny

19

Answer to the director of the Murmansk fish processing plant

14

Answer to Ukrainian journalist Tsimbalyuk / position on Donbass / prisoner exchange

8

On situation in Ukraine / relations with Ukraine

7

On Syria

6

About public utilities rates / capital repairs

6

About increase of retirement age / pensions increase

6

About maternity capital / demography / family support

5

Answer to an American journalist about sanctions against North Korea  

4

Joke about dirk and watch / development and the army budget 

4

About environmental issues / Baikal omul

3

About salary increase / delay in the payment of salaries

3

About foreign policy

3

About Trump politics / relations with the U.S.

2

About opposition / rivalry during the elections

2

On withdrawal of troops from Syria

2

About IOC ad WADA/ Olympics and doping scandal / Rodchenkov

2

About healthcare

2

About economic growth

2

About taxes / tax amnesty

2

About youth policies / promotion of talented children

2

About Saakashvili

2

About candidates in elections / election promise

1

On the Far East

1

About GPS-tracker on the horns of a cow / Kurgan farmer case

1

Answer to a Polish journalist about the airplane crash which killed Poland's President Lech Kaczynski

1

About social policies

1

About military towns

1

About corruption

1

Felgenhauer’s  answer about legal framework and court system / absence of Sechin in court / Ulyukaev case

1

About “Putin babai” poster

1

About Crimea

1

Question why only personal query to Putin can  bring positive results

1

About terrorism

1

About energy, gas, oil  

1

I liked everything / every question was interesting

1

Other

6

About agriculture / grain harvest

1

Nothing

29

Don’t know

5


Note:
Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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