Covid-19 pandemic stokes hunger for trusted news: Survey
LONDON The coronavirus pandemic has stoked a hunger for trusted news in a time of global crisis and a clear majority of people want media organisations to be impartial and objective, The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism said yesterday.
Trust in news grew during the pandemic, especially in Western Europe, helping brands with a reputation for reliable reporting, though mistrust was particularly apparent in the polarised media of the United States.
A clear majority of people across countries believed news outlets should reflect a range of views and try to be neutral, the institute said in its annual Digital News Report.
"We have been through a very dark time and much of the public recognise that news organisations have often been the ones shining light in that darkness," said Reuters Institute director Rasmus Nielsen.
"There has been a greater appreciation of trustworthy news overall," he said.
"It is very clear in our research, in country after country, in age group after age group, that large majorities want journalism to try to be neutral."
The report is based on surveys covering 46 markets and more than half the world's population.
The accelerating technological revolution means 73 per cent of people now access news via a smartphone, up from 69 per cent in 2020, while many use social media networks or messaging apps to consume or discuss news. TikTok now reaches 24 per cent of under 35s.
Facebook is seen as the main artery for spreading false information, though messaging apps such as WhatsApp also play a role.
But the tech giants also served as an avenue for dissent, The Reuters Institute said, citing protests in Peru, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and the United States.
- REUTERS
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