Monday 15 October 2018

So who do you trust in the Australian media landscape in 2018?


On 9 October 2018 Essential Research released the results of survey questions concerning trust in the media.

Once again public broadcasters, ABC and SBS, were the clear winners across all categories in which they were listed.

Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?

Total a lot /some
trust

A lot of trust
Some trust
Not much trust
No trust at all
Don’t know
Don’t use
% change

Total a lot /some
Oct 17
ABC TV news and current affairs
62%

19%
43%
14%
9%
5%
10%
-1

63%
SBS TV news and current affairs
61%

18%
43%
14%
6%
5%
15%

61%
ABC radio news and current affairs
57%

17%
40%
17%
8%
4%
14%
-1

58%
Commercial TV news and current affairs
48%

8%
40%
29%
12%
5%
7%
+3

45%
News and opinion in local newspapers
47%

6%
41%
27%
9%
4%
13%
+3

44%
ABC radio talkback programs
44%

8%
36%
22%
10%
5%
20%

44%
News and opinion in daily newspapers
44%

6%
38%
28%
10%
5%
12%
+2

42%
Commercial radio news and current affairs
44%

5%
39%
28%
11%
5%
13%
+3

41%
News and opinion websites
39%

4%
35%
32%
11%
5%
13%
-1

40%
Commercial radio talkback programs
35%

4%
31%
29%
14%
5%
18%

35%
Internet blogs
17%

2%
15%
34%
22%
6%
20%
-3

20%

Overall, there has been little change in trust in media since this question was asked 12 months ago.

The most trusted media were ABC TV news and current affairs (62% a lot/some trust), SBS TV news and current affairs (61%) and ABC radio news and current affairs (57%).

The least trusted were internet blogs (17%) and commercial radio talkback programs (35%).

Q. How much trust do you have in what you read in the following newspapers and news websites?

Total a lot /some
trust

A lot of trust
Some trust
Not much trust
No trust at all
Don’t know
ABC news websites
69%

21%
48%
16%
9%
6%
The Australian
59%

12%
47%
22%
11%
9%
The Guardian Australia website
55%

10%
45%
23%
11%
12%
News.com.au
55%

10%
45%
27%
12%
7%
Sydney Morning Herald
54%

13%
41%
25%
11%
10%
The Age
53%

9%
44%
24%
13%
11%
Nine.com.au
53%

8%
45%
27%
13%
6%
The Telegraph
49%

10%
39%
26%
14%
11%
Herald Sun
46%

8%
38%
27%
15%
11%
Yahoo 7 News website
45%

6%
39%
29%
16%
9%
Courier Mail
44%

6%
38%
30%
15%
13%
Daily Mail website
39%

6%
33%
31%
21%
10%

* Note : Percentages based only on respondents who had read/used each newspaper/website

Overall, among those who have read or used them, the most trusted news sources were the ABC news websites (69%), The Australian (59%), The Guardian Australia (55%) and news.com.au (55%).

The least trusted were The Daily Mail (39%) and The Courier Mail (44%).

Q. Overall, do you think the news reporting and comment on the ABC is independent and unbiased?


Total

Vote Labor
Vote Lib/Nat
Vote Greens
Vote other
Yes
40%

50%
40%
52%
28%
No
34%

24%
43%
23%
50%
Don’t know
26%

25%
17%
25%
22%

40% think that the news reporting and comment on the ABC is independent and unbiased and 34% think it isn’t.

Those most likely to think the ABC is not independent and unbiased were LNP voters (43%), other party voters (50%) and aged 55+ (40%).

As for the general public's attitude to the recent attacks on ABC independence - 36% of survey respondents thought that the Government has too much influence over the ABC, 16% think they have not enough influence, 17% think they have about the right level of influence and 31& did not know.