'Fake News' Reinforces Trust in Mainstream News Brands: Hits Reputation of Social Media Sources

CommPRO Editorial Staff

Media intelligence firm Kantar Media has released the results of its global ‘Trust in News’ study. 

The report reveals ‘mainstream news media’ reputation remains largely intact while social media and digital-only news platforms sustain major reputation damage as result of ‘fake news’ narratives during recent election cycles.

The survey conducted representative sample surveys of 2,000 individuals each in Brazil, France, the United Kingdom and the US. Key findings:

1. The efforts to brand ‘mainstream news media’ as ‘fake news’ have largely failed. The reputation of traditional print and broadcast media outlets has proven more resilient than social media platforms and online only news outlets, primarily as a result of the depth of coverage being delivered.

2. Audiences are becoming more widely informed and sophisticated in their engagement with, and evaluation of, news content.

3. The public retain a belief that journalism is key to the health of democracy – but have become more skeptical. Specifically, in both in Brazil and USA, where a significant percentage of the population believe ‘fake news’ impacted the outcome of their most recent elections.

Who do we trust?

• The reputational fallout of the ‘fake news’ phenomenon has been predominantly borne by social media and messaging platforms, and ‘online only’ news channels. Print magazines, at 72%, are the most trusted news source, closely followed by the other traditional outlets of print newspapers and TV and radio news. Only one in three recognize social media sites and messaging apps as a trusted news source. ‘Online only’ news outlets are trusted by half of the population, significantly less than their print and broadcast brethren. Interestingly, the online presence of print and broadcast media are trusted slightly less than the originating titles and channels.
• Social media and messaging platforms have sustained significant reputational damage as a source of trusted news. News coverage of politics and elections on social media platforms (among which Facebook is dominant with 84% usage in the preceding week) and messaging apps (of which Whatsapp is the most used) is ‘trusted less’ by almost sixty percent of news audiences (58% & 57% respectively) because of the ‘fake news’ phenomenon. ‘Online only’ news outlets also sustained significant reputational damage in this respect: ‘trusted less’ by 41% of news audiences.
• Print titles have proved more resilient, experiencing a smaller loss of trust, with print magazines and newspapers both ‘trusted less’ by 23% of audiences. However, both categories also experienced similar increases in trust in their coverage (23% and 17% respectively). Print media nets out with more than three quarters of news audiences trusting them ‘the same’ or ‘more than’ before the ‘fake news’ phenomenon. 24-hour news channels also retain a strong position as a trusted source with 78% of news audiences trusting them ‘the same’ or ‘more than’ before the ‘fake news’ narrative.
• Across all four surveyed countries, 46% of news audiences believe ‘fake news’ had an influence on the outcome of their most recent election. This was most pronounced in Brazil – where 69% believed fake news had an impact, and the USA where 47% believe there was an influence. There is though some recognition that companies like Facebook and Google are taking steps to tackle ‘fake news’. (13% of UK news audiences claiming to have seen efforts vs a third of Brazilians, 16% in France and 22% in the US).

News consumption habits are evolving.

• The news-reading public is becoming a more widely informed audience. Forty percent of news audiences have increased the number of news sources they use compared to 12 months prior. ‘All online’ has overtaken television as the primary source of news. With under 35 year olds, social media – despite its reputational issues –almost matches television as a source of news (65% Vs 69%).
• The news audience is additionally becoming a more thoughtful audience. Contrary to ‘news filter bubble’ or ‘echo chamber’ narratives, we find 40% of social media users explore alternate views to their own and almost two thirds worry that ‘personalization’ will create a ‘news filter bubble’. More than three quarters of news consumers claim to have independently fact-checked a story, while 70% have reconsidered sharing an article – worried that it might be fake news. On the flip side, almost one in five admit to sharing a story after reading only the headline.

Full access to the report can be found at Kantar Insights.

Key US data points:

Social Media still has more believers than non-believers:

37% of Americans believe social media outlets can provide trustworthy news, which is far less than the 70%* that feel that printed news outlets, including magazines, provide them with trustworthy news.

Older respondents (over 55 years old) were more likely to have an “untrustworthy” viewpoint vs younger.

*this is the average between National newspapers (75% positive); Local newspapers (61% positive); and news magazines (74% positive)

Political ideology affects how consumers gauge social media’s trustworthiness

Nearly half (47%) of right-leaning consumers have a positive outlook on social media’s ability to provide them with news they can trust, while only 22% of left-leaning respondents shared that same view.

On the flipside, left-leaning respondents were more likely to describe news on social media as untrustworthy (37%) compared to right-leaning ones (23%).

Newspapers are proving far more resilient to “fake news” epidemic than social media

More than half (59%)** of Americans say hearing about “fake news” hasn’t affected their level of trust in newspapers, and 17% said it’s actually increased their level of trust.

However, 24% admit that “fake news” has decreased their level of trust in newspapers.

When it comes to social media, 54% of Americans say that “fake news” has eroded their trust in those sources.

** Average between national and local newspapers

What is “fake news”?

Overall, more than 60% of Americans believe the term “fake news” is defined as a story that is factually incorrect, either by mistake or on purpose.

72% of right-leaning Americans believe that “fake news” means a story that is deliberately fabricated by a mainstream news outlet.

When it comes to moderate or left-leaning respondents, a little more than half would use that definition.

Only 37% believe that “fake news” is something put out by someone masquerading as a news outlet.

How consumptions habits have changed

Americans are varied in how they get their news, though social media is becoming a primary news source

38% of Americans said they get their news by using social media.

The next-most cited was a tie (36%) between keyword searches or directly accessing news websites and apps.

Despite holding an unfavorable view of social media’s trustworthiness, left-leaning respondents were more likely to use it as their main news source (44%) compared to right-leaning (35%).

Showing its place as the dominant social media platform, Facebook was overwhelmingly cited as the top news source on social, with 85% saying they use the platform as a news source.

Americans want news to remain free to access, believing that media outlets still get enough ad revenue to support themselves:

• Nearly ¾ of Americans (72%) say they haven’t paid for any kind of news content online in the past year.
• Compared to the global sample, Americans are more likely to buy a newspaper, with 45% saying they’ve purchased one in the past week, compared to 40% of global respondents.
• More than half (56%) don’t see the point in paying for online news (via a subscription fee) because they can access everything they need for free.
• Just 8% feel it’s their duty to pay for unbiased and independent journalism.
• 21% feel that news organizations get enough money from online advertising to support themselves.