Social research: the main sources of information for Belarusians - Internet and television

Internet resources and television are the main sources of information for Belarusians. This is evidenced by the results of a comprehensive republican sociological study on topical issues of the international and domestic agenda, the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency reports.

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One of the questions of the questionnaire was devoted to the sources of information chosen by Belarusians. According to the obtained data, 57.4% of respondents use Internet resources (websites, portals, etc.), 52.3% voted for television, 48.4% turn to social networks and messengers (TikTok, Instagram, Telegram, Threads, Facebook, etc.), 44.1% prefer personal communication, 17.5% - the press (newspapers, magazines, etc.), 13.3% - communication with colleagues, 9.9% - radio.

Nikolai Myslivets, Director of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, noted that despite the significant popularity of digital media, the results of the study indicate a high interest of the audience to television as a source of information.

- Internet sources as a media are more in demand among the urban population - 59.2%, while residents of rural settlements often prefer television - 58%. Preserving a strong tradition of television viewing is an important part of media consumption, providing diversity and choice for the audience, said N. Myslivtsev.

The center of concentration of digital infrastructure is traditionally the capital. Thus, eight out of ten Minsk residents (78.3%) actively turn to online sources, which indicates a high level of digital literacy, accessibility of infrastructure and demand for modern formats. Residents of the capital are more often employed in areas where the Internet is an integral part of everyday and professional life, which naturally forms a habit of turning to online sources and for news. In addition, more young and active users live in Minsk, for whom the Internet is a familiar environment.

N. Myslivets drew attention to the fact that in the era of digitalization, ubiquitous distribution of gadgets and almost daily format of consumption of content from the network space, the Internet and social networks will occupy significant positions in the domestic information field and maintain stable demand from the audience. In the context of the redistribution of audience attention from traditional sources to network resources, the continued demand for television content indicates the popularity of Belarusian television and its effectiveness as an information channel. It confidently withstands competition with Internet resources, preserving its audience in the era of digitalization. This is largely due to the high level of trust of viewers, objective comments of experts and prompt information about significant events in the country and the world.

At the same time, an important channel for obtaining information is personal communication (family, friends, neighbors).

- This testifies to the importance for Belarusians of such an important attribute of traditional values as the institution of the family, which also plays a significant role in shaping the picture of the world in the daily life of Belarusians. Interpersonal communication, trusting relationships in the family, joint discussion of the current internal and external information agenda can become an alternative to the information influence of network resources in the domestic media space, said the director of the Institute of Sociology.

For reference

Social research was conducted in July - August 2026 by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus commissioned by the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Studies (BISI). It was attended by 2,045 respondents from all regions of the country. The first part of the results of the social research, which deals with topical issues of social and economic development of Belarus, was presented in Minsk on September 10. The second, on socio-political topics, was presented on September 16. Today, on September 23, sociologists shared the results of the third part of the social research on topical issues of the international and domestic agenda.

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