Indians Most Concerned About World Events: BBC

A study conducted by yougov on behalf of BBC World News to understand changing attitudes towards international affairs reveals that India tops the poll for increased concern about global issues (84%), well ahead of the global average of 69%. The total sample size of the study was 7,691 adults, surveyed from across the USA, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and India.

Terrorism was found to be the most pressing concern in five out of eight countries and also for 71% Indians. They showed more interest in environmental news (62%) than any other nation. Besides, Indians also felt strongly about health (63%), corruption (60%) and human rights (52%).

Moreover, the importance of global news was felt highest in India (73%), considerably above the global average of the same. This is reiterated by the fact that over two thirds in India say they discuss international news with friends and family and use global news coverage for making decisions, particularly about how to protect family (58%) and make financial choices (46%). Interestingly, more than half of Indians now have turned to social media to read news stories, again bypassing the global average of 38%.

The study’s findings conclude that 7 out of 10 people believe that news from other parts of the globe is more relevant to them now than in the past. “At a time when many news providers are cutting their international coverage and opinion and propaganda are being touted as fact, audiences want to cut through the noise in search of information they can use to inform their understanding and decisions,” Jim Egan, CEO of BBC Global News Ltd., said. “As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, access to accurate, impartial news, whether on TV, radio, online or social media, is more important than ever.”