Trust in media worldwide 2021-2023

During a survey held in 2023, 77 percent of respondents from China stated that they trusted the media as a source of reliable information. Chinese consumers were therefore the most likely to have faith in the media, whereas those in the United Kingdom, Japan, Argentina, and South Korea were at the other end of the spectrum. Trust in media dropped between 2021 and 2023 in most countries surveyed in the study, in particular in Argentina, which saw a decline of 10 percentage points in that time period.

The impact of low trust

From false information to political bias, navigating the news is tougher than ever, and journalists themselves also acknowledge the problem. Close to two thirds of journalists responding to a global survey said they believed the public lost trust in media in the last year. In an increasingly polarized news environment, consumers are growing fatigued and frustrated – a concern for publishers. More than 70 percent of publishers worldwide admitted they were worried about news avoidance and fatigue and some are actively attempting to tackle the issue.

Re-engaging news consumers

A global survey found that the most important initiative to combat news avoidance and fatigue according to publishers was explanatory journalism, with 94 percent of respondents identifying this as their main strategy. Q&A formats were also considered important, along with constructive, solution-focused journalism.