Internet Second Only to TV for Where Californians Get Most of Their Information About Politics

When asked "Do you ever go online to get news and information on California politics and elections, 15% respond that they do so "often" and another 28% say that they do "sometimes." 57% do not do so or do not use the internet at all. This 43% who use the internet to obtain news and information on California politics has doubled from the 22% who reported they did in December of 1999.

Very few Californians rate the job that "news organizations are doing in reporting about California politics and elections" as "excellent" (5%) and another 28% as "good," while the largest response is "fair" (44%) and 16% rate it as "poor." The more favorable ratings decline as age and income increases. While most (56%) are somewhat satisfied with the amount of news coverage on California politics and elections, only 11% are "very satisfied" and 20% are "somewhat dissatisfied" with another 7% reporting they are "very dissatisfied." Satisfaction declines with college education.

What does this all mean for an informed electorate and California citizenry?

Many commentators including yours truly were shocked when the PPIC released a survey in June showing that knowledge of state issues of California voters was atrocious. Steve Wiegand, a columnist in the Sacramento Bee was moved to write: "C'mon, we can't be all that dumb" and listed a few choice factoids:

• Only three in 10 could name the largest single area of state government spending, or the largest source of revenues.

• Only one in 100 could correctly identify the maximum number of years a legislator can stay in office under current term limits.

• And only one in three knows at least something about how state bonds are repaid, which didn't keep two in three from favoring another $43.3 billion bond package for next year's ballot.

Yet when asked in Friday's poll: "How closely are you following news stories about California politics and elections?" 51% replied at least somewhat closely (11% "very closely" and another 40% "fairly closely." Another 36% fessed up and said they were doing so "not too closely" and another 13% "not at all closely." This 51% constant with that reported in September of 1999--53%--within the margin of error of the poll.

There is a bit of a disconnect between how closely folks say they are following California news and what they know about many issues, including health care, which they also say they are following closely. I suspect that if asked about the details of the Schwarzenegger conceptual plan on health and the major Democratic bill he is about to veto, that most would not be able to recite the significant details contained in the two.

Looks to me like we have our work cut out for us in the Golden State, especially when it comes to getting information out to Californians and the electorate on state issues. More will be coming to the net--watch for this with the February 5, 2008 primary and look at the numbers closely from the PPIC.