Australians’ general trust in news has risen by two percentage points to 43% since last year.
However, some gaps in trust emerged, according to findings from Digital News Report (DNR): Australia 2023 released by the University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre (N&MRC).
There was an eight percentage point rise in trust among Australian men, while women’s trust declined by three percentage points.
Age and education were other factors where gaps in trust emerged – consumers with higher levels of education showed more trust in news, whereas the oldest and youngest generations’ trust levels declined.
Australian public service media such as the ABC and SBS saw strong support from Australians this year; the two broadcasters were the most trusted news brands in the survey. Up to 60% regarded it as important to society, and for more than half of the respondents it was important to them, personally.
“The trust in public service media is reflective of the commercial and political independence of these channels. People who are concerned about misinformation are also much more likely to think publicly funded media is important,” said Dr Park.
Social media platforms being viewed as a news source is on the rise, particularly among young Australians.
For Gen Z consumers, Instagram (26%) and TikTok (17%) are gaining popularity as news platforms as almost one in ten Australians (8%) is using TikTok to get news.
Twitter users were found to be more in tune with national news, whereas Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok users preferred entertainment, celebrity and fun news.
DNR lead author professor Sora Park from the University of Canberra’s N&MRC said it was interesting to note how the audiences access different news sources depending on the platform they’re on.
"For instance, on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, people pay most attention to news from mainstream media and news sources, whereas on TikTok, people pay attention to news from ordinary people and social media personalities,” said Park.
The survey also found that one in five Australians pay for online news, which is up by four percentage points when compared to 2022, and placed well above the global average of 16%. The biggest growth was seen among those who pay for three or more news services.
Park said Australians are willing to pay to access high-quality and trustworthy online news, but they are concerned about algorithms and editors choosing news to match their interests and fear they are missing out on important information and a diversity in viewpoints.
“This year’s survey reveals that news subscriptions are also facing the heat of cost-of-living, as many cite it as a key reason for changing their level of access, including cancellations,” she said.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.