While Canadians still trust established news media the most, the younger generation is more flexible than older cohorts when it comes to trusting information sources.
This is according to Kaiser & Partners’ third annual Canadian media sentiment survey which examines changes in Canadian media consumption patterns since COVID-19, as well as the level of trust Canadians have in media distribution channels. Kaiser is a strategy and communications company with offices in Toronto and Montreal, along with a network of partners across North America. The survey was conducted on behalf of Kaiser & Partners by Maru Public Opinion via its online panel from Oct. 25 to 26.
Kaiser & Partners found that more than half of Canadians (53%) see established news media as the most trustworthy source of information. Canadians aged 18 to 34 believe that traditional news media is the most reliable source of information (36%) compared to those aged 55 and older (72%). This includes expert content on social media (22%), blogs or other online content from industry experts (16%), or content from interest groups and NGOs (15%).
Canadians are not as trusting when it comes to the information communicated by public health agencies and governments during the pandemic. Only one-third (34%) of Canadians considered public health agencies to be the most credible source of information, a 23% drop since 2020. Trust in information released by governments is also down to 29% compared to 42% in 2021.
Mediums such as podcasts have become increasingly popular news sources for younger Canadians, with 17% of those aged 18 to 34 saying they have shifted to podcasts to get information in the last year. The first two years of the pandemic saw Canadians return to TV for news. Online news is now getting more attention, with 19% of Canadians reporting they consume more online information than last year, compared to 17% saying they are watching more broadcast TV news.
Age is also a factor when it comes to recent news consumption behaviors. Older Canadians (55+) have been the main drivers of the shift towards online news, with 23% saying they read more online news compared to last year, up from 17% in 2021. Among younger Canadians (18 to 34), podcasts are the news source that has seen the biggest shift (17%). They also rely more on social platforms for news (16%), alongside online news (16%), than other demographic groups.
Credibility is the top factor in determining trustworthy news for Canadians. When asked their top three factors for determining if the news they are consuming is trustworthy, Canadians cited credibility of the outlet where the story is from (63%), if the story was written by a well-known reporter (35%) and if the story included an interview or comments from a local expert explaining how it resonates in their market (34%). Young Canadians (18 to 34) are most likely to trust local expert comments, whereas other age groups are more likely to place their trust in the reporter who is penning the piece. However, trust in the media has decreased slightly over the last two years, losing seven percentage points between 2020 and 2022.
