Many Canadians have little faith in the news media, a new Statistics Canada survey has found.
Fifty-three percent of those polled said they did not place much trust in the information and news they receive from the media. Fewer than one in six people (16 percent) reported a high level of trust in the media, while 32 percent of respondents said they had only a moderate level of trust.
Trust levels were graded on a 10-point scale with a score of five or lower indicating a lack of trust, while scores of eight and above signified a high level of trust. A satisfaction score of six or seven showed a moderate level of trust in the media as a whole.
“A low level of trust in the media may at first glance seem worrying,” the “Canadian Social Survey” report reads. “However, a low level of trust in a source of information that is not always trustworthy or a source whose information has become less accurate over time is not a wholly bad sign, if it indicates that the public remains cautious and critical of the information it receives.”
Trust level varied depending on the media type. For instance, only five percent of Canadians trust information from social media compared to 28 percent for more traditional forms of media such as print media, radio, and television. Internet news enjoyed only a 13 percent trust rate.
Most Canadians report getting their news and information from the internet, television, or social media, making up 85 percent of news consumption. Eight percent of the population prefers getting news from the radio and five percent prefer print media. Two percent use “other sources of information.”
“Young people were more likely than seniors to use the Internet and social media to obtain information, with seniors preferring more traditional media sources, such as television, radio and print media,” the study reads.
Eighty-five percent of 15 to 34-year-olds and 65 percent of 35 to 54-year-olds reported getting news or information from social media or the internet. That trend changed with age, however.
Fewer than one in five people aged 65 and older preferred the internet or social media as a source of information. Television is the news source of choice for those aged 65 and older, with 63 percent calling it their go-to for information.
Older Canadians also tend to be more trusting of the news media than those under the age of 65. The biggest difference was between those 65 and older and those aged 15 to 24.
Seniors are almost twice as likely as the youngest age group polled to have a high level of trust in the media as a whole—22 percent versus 12 percent. Thirty-seven percent of seniors have a high level of trust in information and news from television compared to 24 percent of young people.
The results of the StatCan survey are based on data collected from 20,000 Canadian households. One member aged 15 or older was selected to participate from each household.
