ARAB ADVISORS GROUP

Arab Advisors Group is a specialized research, analysis and consulting company focused on the communications, media and technology markets throughout the Arab World (MENA) region. Arab Advisors Group scope of services include providing primary research based analysis, market sizing forecasting, the competitive landscape, the regulatory landscape, market research, technology developments, market opportunity and risk assessments.

 
Media Strategic Research Service


1. Credibility of Satellite News Channels in Greater
Cairo

An analytical survey by Arab Advisors Group explores the perceived trustworthiness in Greater Cairo of nine satellite news channels, and cross-references the results with the gender and education of respondents.

 

This analysis is based on data from a major comprehensive survey conducted by Arab Advisors Group between November 2004 and January 2005. The survey probes the media usage patterns and habits of the population of Greater Cairo and indicates that approximately 66% of satellite TV viewers watch news programs (topped only by religious programs at 78%). Exploring the credibility of nine of the major Arabic and non-Arabic satellite news channels: Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Al Hurra, Al Ekhbariya, Al Mustakila, Nile News, NBN, CNN, and BBC World, the survey presents its results with reference to relevant demographic characteristics including the gender and education of respondents.

 

The survey is based on face-to-face interviews with 562 people from separate households selected at random from different areas within the Arab world's largest city, in a manner proportionate to the population sizes of the areas. The neighbourhoods covered comprise 3 high-income areas: Masr El Gideedah, El Mohandiseen, and El Maadi; 3 upper middle-income areas: Madinat Nasr, El Muqtam, and 6th of October City; 5 middle-income areas: Faisal, El Haram, Hilwan, El Qoba, and Wadi El Houf; and 6 low-income areas: Bab Al Sharyia, El Marg, Boula Abu Ellaa, Shoubra, Embaba, and Ain Shams. All respondents were above 15 years of age.

 

The scientific survey has a confidence level of 99% with a less than 5.5% margin of error. The complete results, including detailed statistical analysis and relevant cross tabulations, are available in the Arab Advisors Group report Cairo Households Media Survey 2005”. The report covers the major Arabic and Non-Arabic satellite TV channels viewed by the Egyptian audience, as well as terrestrial TV, radio, TV interactivity, movie viewing, and newspapers.

 

The survey reveals that Al Jazeera is the most watched news channel (either Arabic or non-Arabic) in Cairo by far; of the 259 respondents who had a satellite dish antenna at the time of the survey, a full 229 (i.e. 88%) reported watching Al Jazeera. Al Arabiya ranks second, with a viewership of 35%, and Nile News ranks a distant third with a viewership of 9% according to the survey. Approximately 7% of the respondents with a dish reported watching CNN, while 5% reported watching Al Hurra and 3% reported watching BBC World.

 

Launched by the MBC network in 2003, Al Arabiya news channel features a range of programs including up-to-date coverage of political and social issues targeting Arab audiences. Of the 224 respondents who expressed an opinion on the subject of the Arabic-language channel’s trustworthiness, over 75% found it to be credible (either very trustworthy or trustworthy), with almost one-third of the total labelling it very trustworthy and 43% labelling it trustworthy. Approximately 22% of the respondents classed Al Arabiya as somewhat trustworthy, while less than 3% considered it untrustworthy.

 

Exhibit 1: Al Arabiya Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

Al Arabiya Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

73

32.6%

Trustworthy

96

42.9%

Somewhat Trustworthy

49

21.9%

Not Trustworthy

6

2.7%

Total

224

100%

 

When divided by gender, the responses indicate similar results to the above, with a greater percentage of females compared to males regarding the channel as very trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 2: Al Arabiya Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

28

45

%

25.7%

39.1%

Trustworthy

49

47

%

45.0%

40.9%

Somewhat Trustworthy

28

21

%

25.7%

18.3%

Not Trustworthy

4

2

%

3.7%

1.7%

Total

109

115

 

Divided by level of education, the results are also consistent with the aggregate ones. It is worth noting that respondents at higher levels of education were more reluctant to label Al Arabiya as very trustworthy; more opted to label it trustworthy. None of the respondents were below the high school level.

 


Exhibit 3: Education vs. Al Arabiya Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

8

8

7

0

23

%

34.8%

34.8%

30.4%

0.0%

100.0%

University or Diploma

59

79

37

6

181

%

32.6%

43.6%

20.4%

3.3%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

5

8

4

0

17

%

29.4%

47.1%

23.5%

0.0%

100.0%

Not Answered

1

1

1

0

3

 

 

Al Jazeera is by far the most watched news channel amongst the Egyptian audience. Almost nine years after its inception, the channel still maintains its reputation as an Arabic station that is free of censorship and government control, featuring liberated political debates and live interaction with its audiences.

 

Of the 244 respondents who expressed an opinion on Al Jazeera’s trustworthiness, over 85% perceived the channel as credible, with the majority of the total respondents characterizing it as very trustworthy. A mere 3% deemed the channel untrustworthy. Compared to Al Arabiya (and all the other satellite news channels explored in this report), Al Jazeera enjoys a higher level of credibility in Cairo. This indicates a positive correlation between the size of a channel’s viewers base and its trustworthiness.

 

Exhibit 4: Al Jazeera Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

Al Jazeera Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

142

58.2%

Trustworthy

67

27.5%

Somewhat Trustworthy

28

11.5%

Not Trustworthy

7

2.9%

Total

244

100%

 

Variations in opinion by gender were minimal.

 

Exhibit 5: Al Jazeera Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

66

76

%

55.5%

60.8%

Trustworthy

34

33

%

28.6%

26.4%

Somewhat Trustworthy

15

13

%

12.6%

10.4%

Not Trustworthy

4

3

%

3.4%

2.4%

Total

119

125

 

As in the case of Al Arabiya, the higher the level of education of the respondents, the lower the percentage that rated Al Jazeera as very trustworthy. In this case, however, more postgraduate-level respondents rated the channel as somewhat trustworthy as opposed to trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 6: Education vs. Al Jazeera Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

19

6

0

1

26

%

73.1%

23.1%

0.0%

3.8%

100.0%

University or Diploma

110

57

22

6

195

%

56.4%

29.2%

11.3%

3.1%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

11

3

6

0

20

%

55.0%

15.0%

30.0%

0.0%

100.0%

Not Answered

2

1

0

0

3

 

 

United States-backed Al Hurra began broadcasting in February 2004 with the aim of providing an alternative to the two major pan-Arab news stations Al Arabia and Al Jazeera. However, of the 171 respondents who expressed an opinion on the subject of the new Arabic channel’s trustworthiness, only 15 (i.e. less than 9%) considered the channel very trustworthy, and 46 (i.e. 27%) considered it trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 7: Al Hurra Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

Al Hurra Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

15

8.8%

Trustworthy

46

26.9%

Somewhat Trustworthy

60

35.1%

Not Trustworthy

50

29.2%

Total

171

100%

 

More females than males regarded Al Hurra as credible. Again, respondents at lower levels of education were less reluctant to class the news channel as very trustworthy. High school-level respondents found Al Hurra least untrustworthy.

 

Exhibit 8: Al Hurra Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

5

10

%

5.8%

11.8%

Trustworthy

17

29

%

19.8%

34.1%

Somewhat Trustworthy

37

23

%

43.0%

27.1%

Not Trustworthy

27

23

%

31.4%

27.1%

Total

86

85

Exhibit 9: Education vs. Al Hurra Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

4

6

6

3

19

%

21.1%

31.6%

31.6%

15.8%

100.0%

University or Diploma

10

35

48

42

135

%

7.4%

25.9%

35.6%

31.1%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

1

4

6

4

15

%

6.7%

26.7%

40.0%

26.7%

100.0%

Not Answered

0

1

0

1

2

 

 

Of the 152 respondents with an opinion regarding the trustworthiness of Al Ekhbariya news channel - the new addition to Saudi TV - almost half rated the Arabic channel as credible, with 10% regarding it as very trustworthy. Variations in response by gender are evident in the somewhat trustworthy and not trustworthy categories. It is also interesting to note that one-third of postgraduate-level respondents perceived the channel as very trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 10: Al Ekhbariya Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

Al Ekhbariya Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

15

9.9%

Trustworthy

56

36.8%

Somewhat Trustworthy

62

40.8%

Not Trustworthy

19

12.5%

Total

152

100%

 

Exhibit 11: Al Ekhbariya Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

8

7

%

9.5%

10.3%

Trustworthy

30

26

%

35.7%

38.2%

Somewhat Trustworthy

38

24

%

45.2%

35.3%

Not Trustworthy

8

11

%

9.5%

16.2%

Total

84

68

 


Exhibit 12: Education vs. Al Ekhbariya Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

3

8

8

1

20

%

15.0%

40.0%

40.0%

5.0%

100.0%

University or Diploma

7

45

49

16

117

%

6.0%

38.5%

41.9%

13.7%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

4

3

4

1

12

%

33.3%

25.0%

33.3%

8.3%

100.0%

Not Answered

1

0

1

1

3

 

 

The results for London-based Arabic-language Al Mustakila are more or less consistent across genders and levels of education, with more high school-level respondents stating that the channel is very trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 13: Al Mustakila Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

Al Mustakila Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

8

7.0%

Trustworthy

28

24.6%

Somewhat Trustworthy

55

48.2%

Not Trustworthy

23

20.2%

Total

114

100%

 

Exhibit 14: Al Mustakila Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

3

5

%

5.1%

9.1%

Trustworthy

16

12

%

27.1%

21.8%

Somewhat Trustworthy

27

28

%

45.8%

50.9%

Not Trustworthy

13

10

%

22.0%

18.2%

Total

59

55

 


Exhibit 15: Education vs. Al Mustakila Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

3

4

9

0

16

%

18.8%

25.0%

56.3%

0.0%

100.0%

University or Diploma

3

21

40

20

84

%

3.6%

25.0%

47.6%

23.8%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

1

3

5

2

11

%

9.1%

27.3%

45.5%

18.2%

100.0%

Not Answered

1

0

1

1

3

 

 

Egyptian Radio and Television Union’s Nile News was rated as credible by over 60% of the 211 respondents who had an opinion on the subject. It is interesting to note that the largest percentage of postgraduate-level respondents classed the Arabic-language channel as very trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 16: Nile News Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

Nile News Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

47

22.3%

Trustworthy

87

41.2%

Somewhat Trustworthy

66

31.3%

Not Trustworthy

11

5.2%

Total With Sat TV

211

100.0%

 

Exhibit 17: Nile News Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

24

23

%

23.1%

21.5%

Trustworthy

40

47

%

38.5%

43.9%

Somewhat Trustworthy

34

32

%

32.7%

29.9%

Not Trustworthy

6

5

%

5.8%

4.7%

Total

104

107

 


Exhibit 18: Education vs. Nile News Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

9

8

9

0

26

%

34.6%

30.8%

34.6%

0.0%

100.0%

University or Diploma

31

72

53

10

166

%

18.7%

43.4%

31.9%

6.0%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

7

6

4

0

17

%

41.2%

35.3%

23.5%

0.0%

100.0%

Not Answered

0

1

0

1

2

 

 

The privately owned Lebanese National Broadcasting Network (NBN), established in 1996, became a specialized news channel in 1999 and began broadcasting via satellite in 2000. Over half of the 129 respondents with an opinion on NBN’s trustworthiness regarded it as credible.

 

Exhibit 19: NBN Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

NBN Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

16

12.4%

Trustworthy

50

38.8%

Somewhat Trustworthy

50

38.8%

Not Trustworthy

13

10.1%

Total

129

100%

 

A larger percentage of males considered the channel trustworthy, whereas more of the females considered it somewhat trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 20: NBN Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

9

7

%

13.0%

11.7%

Trustworthy

29

21

%

42.0%

35.0%

Somewhat Trustworthy

24

26

%

34.8%

43.3%

Not Trustworthy

7

6

%

10.1%

10.0%

Total

69

60

 

A greater proportion of postgraduate-level respondents deemed the channel very trustworthy.

 


Exhibit 21: Education vs. NBN Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

3

7

8

0

18

%

16.7%

38.9%

44.4%

0.0%

100.0%

University or Diploma

10

36

36

13

95

%

10.5%

37.9%

37.9%

13.7%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

3

6

5

0

14

%

21.4%

42.9%

35.7%

0.0%

100.0%

Not Answered

0

1

1

0

2

 

 

CNN’s long standing in broadcasting news to the region dates back to the 1990 Gulf War. At the time, the channel gained popularity amongst audiences in the Arab world due to its extensive coverage of the events.

 

Of the 165 respondents who expressed an opinion on CNN’s trustworthiness, almost 67% stated that it is credible, with 37% stating that it is very trustworthy. Approximately 7% deemed the U.S.-based English-language channel untrustworthy. Substantial variations exist between the responses of males and females in the very trustworthy and trustworthy categories. The majority of high school-level respondents stated that CNN is very trustworthy.

 

Exhibit 22: CNN Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

CNN Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

61

37.0%

Trustworthy

49

29.7%

Somewhat Trustworthy

44

26.7%

Not Trustworthy

11

6.7%

Total With Sat TV

165

100%

 

Exhibit 23: CNN Trustworthiness vs. Gender

 

Male

Female

Very Trustworthy

24

37

%

27.0%

48.7%

Trustworthy

33

16

%

37.1%

21.1%

Somewhat Trustworthy

26

18

%

29.2%

23.7%

Not Trustworthy

6

5

%

6.7%

6.6%

Total

89

76

 


Exhibit 24: Education vs. CNN Trustworthiness

 

Very Trustworthy

Trustworthy

Somewhat Trustworthy

Not Trustworthy

Total

High School

10

5

3

1

19

%

52.6%

26.3%

15.8%

5.3%

100.0%

University or Diploma

45

36

36

10

127

%

35.4%

28.3%

28.3%

7.9%

100.0%

Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs)

6

6

5

0

17

%

35.3%

35.3%

29.4%

0.0%

100.0%

Not Answered

0

2

0

0

2

 

 

Originally set up in 1991, the British Broadcasting Corporation’s English-language 24-hour news channel BBC World has a similar credibility rating in Cairo to that of CNN.

 

Exhibit 25: BBC World Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion

BBC World Trustworthiness

# of Respondents

%

Very Trustworthy

59

36.2%

Trustworthy

55

33.7%

Somewhat Trustworthy