People, media more likely to declare Pistorius 'guilty' than 'innocent': Survey

An online survey has reportedly found that people and the world media are more likely to use the word 'guilty' than 'innocent' in reference to the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.

Figures by media monitoring group Data Driven Insight (DDI) show that their 'guilt monitor' saw about 8.43 percent of the world media go with 'guilty' while 1.14 percent of all media worldwide went with 'innocent'.

According to Sport24, a DDI spokesperson said that the public and the media are now likely to use the word 'guilty' eight times more than 'innocent' in media coverage about the Pistorius case.

The spokesperson also said that Twitter added to the news coverage at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, adding that of the two testimonies heard on Wednesday, that of police colonel Johannes Vermeulen and Pistorius's friend Daren Fresco, Fresco's testimony accounted for more media activity.

The spokesperson further said the trial had generated more interest from abroad, adding that the US, Germany, UK and Australia are covering the story more than South African media.

The data was compiled from 6.2 million social media platforms including blogs, forums, social networks and commentary, 60 000 global online newspapers, 2,000 South African print publications, and 66 radio and television stations, the report added.