Trust in news hits a new low, research suggests

Trust in the news has fallen to an all-time low globally - the lowest since annual reports by the Reuters Institute began more than a decade ago (2015).

The research published on Tuesday suggests that public trust worldwide is at 37%, three points down on this time last year. In the UK, it has fallen by five points to 30% - 20 points lower than 10 years ago.

More than half of respondents said they now get their news from third-party platforms like social media and video networks, although a similar number still use news websites and TV news as well. Traditional sources are still more popular in the UK.

"Our data points to a mix of anxiety, disengagement and cynicism from audiences, many of whom don't like the way publishers are covering long-running news stories such as immigration, inflation and international conflict," the institute said.

AI chatbots

"But the report also finds openness to new sources and formats, and a belief in what news at its best can offer."

Despite more people accessing news via social media, confidence in that format is much lower than in news overall, at 22%.

And just 10% of those who took part said most of their news needs were met by creators and influencers, suggesting they are complementing rather than replacing traditional media.

Meanwhile, faith in answers from AI chatbots from respondents around the world is at 20%, although weekly use of these has grown from 7% to 10% (and to 16% among people under 35).

And support for impartial news remains high, appearing largely unaffected by changes in news consumption, with support falling by 3% since 2020.

In the US, trust in news stands at 25%, and is even lower (15%) among politically right-leaning Americans.

Some major news outlets have seen big drops, with trust in both CBS News and Fox News down 10 points from 2025, and CNN falling by six.

Online news video is now mainstream everywhere: 77% globally consume online news video each week, and a majority now watch online news video in every market covered by the report. It's now ahead of broadcast TV news in every market apart from Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.

"The popularity of creators and online video is not evidence that people no longer want news, but it suggests they want news to feel more accessible, more understandable, and more relevant to their lives," the report said.

The findings are based on an online survey of almost 100,000 people in 48 markets.

Social media now main source of news in US, research suggests