The mass-media ranks 3 in the Romanians’ confidence top, after the Church and the Army, but there is a lot of reticence regarding the professionalism of the journalists, the Open Society Foundation’s opinion barometer reveals.

83% of the Romanians watch TV on a daily basis whereas only 12% prefer to skim the central newspapers, and 17% read the local press several times a week. The most popular TV shows are the News watched by 70% of the audience.

Most of the people consider the journalists as well trained (67%) and objective (63%), while 48% perceive the journalists as influenced by their managers, and 43% say that the mass-media presents the topics subjectively.

The interviewees believe that the mass-media serve the politicians’ interests (73%), the business people’s (67%) or the press itself (63%), aiming at attaining profit (62%). However, 57% of the respondents believe that the press acts in the citizens’ interest and that it fights corruption (45%), the opposition or the governing coalition.

The public agenda is made of life related issues, corruption and the institutions’ functioning, whereas the press agenda tends to emphasize crime, corruption, justice, catastrophes related issues. Television has the most significant impact on people.

The public opinion barometer is an OSF trademark, which interviewed 2004 persons, from rural area included, in May 5- June 21 2006.