Shanghai survey suggests new media more powerful tool than traditional media

Beijing, Mar 16(ANI): According to a new survey, new media can act as more powerful tools for democratic supervision than traditional media.

This new survey was carried out by the Media and Public Opinion Research Center, of Fudan University in Shanghai.

During the survey people were asked how they kept up with events at the annual National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which ended on Wednesday.

The center conducted random telephone interviews with 313 residents of Shanghai's 17 districts and counties, all with varied educational levels. This is the sixth year the center has conducted the survey.

Ninety-three percent of respondents said they knew about the two sessions and more than one-half said they listened to and watched Premier Wen Jiabao's news conference on the last day.

Though the television was still the medium of choice for residents to stay in touch with goings-on during the two sessions, new media are playing an increasingly important role," The China Daily quoted Li Shuanglong, a researcher from the center, as saying.

According to the report, 63 percent kept informed during the two sessions via the television. Next was the Internet, which was chosen by 19.6 percent of residents. About 10.5 percent relied on newspapers.

More than 30 percent of the Internet users said they followed the two sessions through micro blogs.

"Unlike traditional media, new media work as a mutual communication channel. It allows people to express their opinion and it creates strong interaction between government and the public," said Xie Yungeng, an expert in public opinion and new media from Shanghai Jiaotong University (ANI)