Despite upbeat reports, Belarusian TV viewers say economy not doing well

September 13, BPN. Only 11 percent of Belarusian TV viewers said that Belarus’ economy is doing well, in an online poll conducted by the Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center (BEROC) in August.

The poll of 1,001 urban residents showed that 44 percent of Belarusians use television as a source of information.

About a third of the respondents who watch TV described Belarus’ economic performance as poor. Forty-two percent noted a decrease in their income over the previous month, while only nine percent said it increased.

Among those who receive information from other sources, only three percent said that the economy was in a good shape, while 58 percent said it was in a bad shape. This group’s income reports were comparable to TV viewers, with 44 percent noting a drop and seven saying their earnings grew.

Both groups noted inflation in 2022. 

The poll also showed that 26 percent of Belarusians prefer to receive information from independent media outlets, and 10 percent, from the state-run media.