Trust in the news industry has fallen to an all-time low, according to a Reuters Institute study released on Tuesday, with 29 of the outlets’ 48 markets reporting a decline.
According to the findings, trust in news has fallen to 37%, a three-point drop from 2025, while those claiming to have little-to-no interest in the industry have risen to 25%, a nine-point increase from 2021.
The study found that just 25% of US respondents generally trust the news, with trust falling by at least five points in 19 global markets.
Most respondents reported getting their news from non-traditional sources, such as social media, though traditional sources remain the primary source of news in the United Kingdom.
Findings also show that concerns about fake news have increased by four points since 2025, in line with the rise in the use of non-traditional sources.
Regarding news bias, nearly half of the respondents said they prefer non-biased sources, noting that impartiality benefits society.
Specific subjects are notably more difficult for news media to cover, with the study finding that a majority of respondents believe the industry is covering immigration poorly.
Younger audiences (aged 18-24) reported getting their news primarily from social media, video networks, and AI chatbots, with television remaining the primary news source for those aged 45 and up.
Regarding artificial intelligence, fewer than 1% of respondents say they use AI as their primary news source, suggesting that AI may play more of a supporting role in news consumption.
About a third of participants reported using AI to find the latest news, simplify or summarize stories, or check stories for biases.
The study noted that AI remains an emerging technology in news, while social media is already well established.
Regarding social media, 27% of respondents said they get at least some of their news from individual online creators and influencers, with the average respondent finding creators to be less trustworthy and more biased than traditional sources.
Notably, the majority of those receiving their news from online creators also use traditional media, with findings indicating an increase in traditional media consumption among this group.
