MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Russians opt for television as a source of news (69%) most often, but its popularity is mainly supported by the elderly audience (87% of respondents aged over 60), whereas the youth prefers using the internet (82% of Russians aged 18-24), a survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center shows.

"At present, more than two thirds of all respondents (69%) are almost constantly using the central television as a source of news and information (which is a reduction compared to 78% in 2012), whereas 44% use the regional television (a reduction from 52%). However, this high popularity is mainly supported by the elderly population: 87% of people aged over 60 and almost twice as little, 48%, of people aged 18 to 24 often watch federal channels," the report says.

The internet has already become the main source of information for Russians aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 (82% and 59%, correspondingly). "Rates of social networks and blogs are close to this: 41% of all respondents often learn necessary information from them (81% of people from the youngest age group)," the center notes.

According to the survey, every fourth respondent (25%) uses the federal press and every fifth (20%) listens to the radio on a regular basis. Regional radio stations and periodical publications enjoy even less popularity. Russians very rarely use foreign mass media as a source of news: only 9% use them frequently.

"The results of the regular survey of the media audience show that two main tendencies have been preserved. First, the role of the internet as a popular source of information for all layers and groups of the Russian society continues growing. Then, the television remains the widest and most popular type of mass media. The weak point of the information TV in its current state is lack of interest in it from the youngest part of the audience," Director General of the Russian Public Opinion Research Center Valery Fedorov said.

The nation’s leading polling agency conducted this survey on April 20 - 24 in 130 communities in 46 regions of eight Russian federal districts, having interviewed 1,600 respondents. The maximal range of error with a 95% chance does not exceed 3.