Leading figures and institutions criticizing news worldwide 2022

In 2022, a global survey looking at four major markets found that news audiences in Brazil and the United States were the most likely to have seen criticism of the news from politicians in the last year. Close to 50 percent of respondents from each country said they had seen or heard politicians criticizing the news media. Meanwhile, a hefty share of respondents from both countries, as well as those in India and the United Kingdom, said that they heard ordinary people voicing negative opinions about journalist or news organizations – and this trend is likely to stick.

Consumers are distrustful of the news

From political bias to false information, to declining press freedom and artificial intelligence, there are a number of reasons why the public may be critical or suspicious of the news. Mis- and disinformation continue to pose problems to ordinary consumers seeking updates about key topics, and in the United States, the public generally feel that news organizations themselves are responsible for stopping the spread of false information. Should they be unable or unwilling to do this, trust in the news media will likely continue to fall.

Which steps can news publishers take?

In the face of growing news avoidance and fatigue, news publishers are deploying various strategies to combat it. Rather than attempt to reel audiences in with positive stories, the aim is to provide explanatory and solution-focused journalism to give consumers news they can use.