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THE NEWS MEDIA has been facing a tumultuous time, but there are some chinks of light emerging. Perhaps it’s a Trump Bump but news consumers across Europe and in Ireland are beginning to trust the media more and in particular the media they consume.
At the same time, the gap is widening between trust in the news media and social media. Some 72% of Irish news consumers trust most of the news they receive most of the time and 70% say the news industry does a good job helping them distinguish fact from fiction, according to the latest Reuters’ Digital News Report for Ireland.
There is some evidence over the past few years that the rise of social media has led to increased distrust of news media. The possible reasons for this are myriad but include the speed of dissemination of false news, the filter bubbles which social media can engender, and the algorithmic triggering of negative emotions.
Given the ubiquity of Facebook as a purveyor of news this should encourage the social media giant to do more in terms of helping with fact checking, penalising fake news purveyors and tweaking algorithms to ensure users see a wider range of stories. We also know that the plurality of people do not understand the nature of algorithms and personalisation and indeed there are even questions as to whether Facebook does. But it also provides an opportunity for quality media to demonstrate their unique value and is a welcome platform to build from.
Today’s report found that globally only a quarter of global survey respondents think social media do a good job in separating fact from fiction, half the level who believe the news media do so. In Ireland and in countries like the US, and the UK people are twice as likely to have faith in the news media. Only in Greece do more people think social media is doing a better job, primarily because they have very low confidence in news media.
Brexit and Trump have had a big impact. Trust has fallen seven percentage points in the UK since the Brexit referendum. There are now valid questions around media practices of simply providing a platform of “he said/she said” to news consumers. More critical engagement and analysis is no doubt required.
Encouraging signs
But there are also encouraging signs. The New York Times added some 308,000 (net) new digital subscribers in the first three months of 2017, a record gain that has been partly attributed to the Trump presidency. The same is true of The Economist and The Washington Post among others.
In some countries, the report finds a strong link between low trust and perceived political bias and to a lesser extent commercial bias. In the US those on the political right are almost three times as likely to express distrust in news organisations that they see as being part of the “liberal mainstream media” oft touted by Trump. They are also much more likely to trust sources they use themselves, such as Fox News.
In Ireland these are not significant factors for most people and more Irish news consumers believe Irish news is free of undue commercial and political influence than the international average but people do still tend to trust their own sources rather than those they do not use.
Trust in media?
To unpack some of this we added some open-ended questions on why people do or do not trust media and crucially do and do not trust social media. Very encouragingly for Irish news media, three times as many respondents give reasons for trusting the news media as for distrusting it. And most people trust either because they believe in the professional standards, such as verification and sourcing and so on, or they simply believe the news media is generally unbiased.
The kind of responses we see are that “they have reliable sources”, “they back up what they say with evidence”, “they call out fake news” and so on. In terms of people’s reasons for not trusting the news the largest category was a belief that journalists were unwilling to reveal the news with typical comments that “there is a lot of scaremongering”, or “they reveal one side” or “they tend to dramatise everything”.
Interestingly, when we turn to the reason why people trust or do not trust social media we see that the pattern is reversed. Here we can see that 68% of people give reasons as to why they distrust social media while 32% give reasons to trust. Turning first to those who trust social media, the major reason is the belief that the news here is unfiltered and comes from ordinary people including their friends. However, this only accounts of 11% of those who give a reason for trusting or distrusting social media. Very few believe in either crowd sourcing and even fewer in the access it gives to multiple professional sources.
What this all points to is a possible realisation on the part of news media consumers that there is a difference between quality news and algorithmically generated serendipitous news on social media. If that can be built upon more widely that would be a chink of light for the beleaguered industry.
Jane Suiter is director of the Institute for Future Media and Journalism at DCU -fujomedia.eu. With support from the BAI, FuJo conducted analysis for the Ireland chapter of the Oxford Reuters Digital News Report (Ireland) 2017.
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Hey Enda, will you ask your mate Obama if he knows who the bond holder’s are, and what has Angela in store for Ireland. Good lad………..
FF paid out all the bondholders (who openly joked about how dumb this was) and transferred all the bonds to the ECB, so now there is only one, unburnable, bondholder.
Relax Ms Merkel, it’s all good.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202128052741267&set=a.1877729501415.112485.1186578251&type=1&theater
I pity the poor fecker that had to listen to her mundane calls for a decade.
Game is up for America really being exposed this year
Cop on the lot of yee…history will tell you that you cannot trust the Germans
Don’t mention the war, I mentioned it once already, but I think I got away with it.
Obviously can’t trust the Americans either.
How Germany was allowed to take her place again amongst the nations of Europe and the world again after ww2 I will never understand. They brought civilisation to the brink of collapse, organised the holocaust with typical German industrial efficiency and the numbers who died as a result of ww2 is at least 60 million! The country should have been dismantled forever
Simply because the rest of the world copped on that by making a nation pay for its total ills by bleeding it dry,caused the 2nd world war,and there is apoint in learning from mistakes. Plus a efficent,industrialised and well capable fighting Germany was needed as a bulwark against Soviet Russias militaristic aggression and expansion into East Europe .
Dermot, you haven’t a clue. No offence.
Spot in.
I’m sure everything we do is been watched and listened to. The more technology we use the easier it is for them to do it..
Yup. Watch the doc Terms and Conditions Apply. Then sit back and let it sink right in.
I simply cannot understand the lame response by the EU with all the bugging of EU offices & Parliament as well as bugging Merkyl’s phone, if the Chinese or Russians had done this to America they would be a strong response & they would take it as an act of aggression!
The EU is a joke, its supposed to be united & strong, but really its weak, weak,weak!
America needs to be told if any more of this goes on it will be taken as an act of aggression & severe sanctions to be decided will be taken, the Yanks are laughing at our lameness & will continue Corporate espionage by their special services on behalf of the Govt & the spying of our leaders!
Sanctions? What we ginna do? Ask them to stop investing in europe?
You’re right about the EU David. By it’s very nature, namely being a composite of many nation’s, it is and most probably always will be weak, as a political entity. There are too many varied interests at odds with one another. Why is there such a feeble response to the NSA spying affair, well it shows that regardless of the rights and wrongs of this affair,the US is simply to powerful and important to us as individual nations and as a collective under the guise of the EU. The EU craves to occupy this sort of political clout, that America clearly has, but I can never seeing it happen.
David, the Russians and Chinese are doing it. The Chinese are hacking into sites all over the world.
EUROPE IS AND WAS FROM ITS BIRTH A FAILED ENTITY!
We the Irish within a short few years of joining the EU went into a recession right through the 80′s into the early 90′s. Once Europe’s cartel took hold with its treaty’s we were plunged into false economies and the grips of Bankers and Bondholders. The initial concept and principles of the EU were put through the paper shredder! Consequently Europe collapsed and we were walked politely and obediently by our corrupt politicians within FF,FG,Lb into the Austerity quagmire. Where tens of thousands of our people have been submerged, while many many more hold our heads up enough to breath, no one knows for how long!
Europe and America are now in the barrel used to starve rats where both are beginning to turn on each other!
America is failing, all they really have is a puppet Government since Jimmy Carter was President, the President is controlled lock stock & barrel by Corporate funding, the pay back is sensitive information such as the bugs in EU offices being relayed back so companies like Monsanto can grind us down & have all our people eating their poison which they call food- look at Aspartame-Monsanto product used in every type of diet crap on the market!
We should use our brains & see that America is at its weakest in years, China & Russia as well as India are the countries we should be prioritising as trade partners- America is a tiny market compared to the export possibilities in these countries!
America is in steep decline, a strong & serious response with very public & high level open talks would scare the shyte out of a country that could be 20yrs away from Civil war!
Their strength is their weakness, yes tgey invest heavily with the EU which has nearly double the population of the US- they can barely balance a budget,the thought of trade sanctions would scare the life out of them, especially if we look at replacing US investment by cosying up to the multi billion populations in these emerging markets!
They are less significant in the medium term than many think! We should have a boycott campaign of US products-take away their Corporations income & others will replace them- thats business & the US is the Bully in the playground that stopped growing, time the bully got kicked back
We’ll tell them we are very,very cross with them,and all Americans must go to bed early tonight with no supper!!That will teach them!
And if there is anyone launching a cyber war against the Western world,its our supposedly good friends the Chinese!!
What do you suggest we do? Set up an EU army? Maybe even an EU Intelligence Service? Thanks, but no thanks.
Now don’t get me wrong, David – I like the idea of a Federal Europe, but not with military capabilities. Because once you have an army, you start using it – like we see America doing right now, all around the world. Right now it’s more or less impossible for the EU to instigate a war against another country (it would require the unanimous approval of all member states). But if someone decided to invade us, we have the means to defend ourselves.
We sure as hell don’t need any more wars.
The EU won’t do anything because the EU can’t really do anything. It’s a paper tiger at best. Perhaps Merkel could shut down a few US military bases in Germany. That wouldn’t really hurt the US but it would send a very strong message to Washington. Will she do this? No she won’t.
I’m not defending what the NSA has done but most of what you’re saying is absolute nonsense. Do you really think starting a trade war with the largest economy on the planet would end well?
You seem convinced that the allegations are true.
Yea sure and send the 420 US companys located here packing with 120.000 people added to the dole,and another 100.000 jobs in supply companys dependent on them, anti US crap on a grand scale, what a moron.
Russia is run by a rancid homophobe who needs to die and China has an atrocious human rights record, but I’m sure their “trade” will be way different to “the corporations”.
There is a lot going on in the background, you can be sure of it. Of course we don’t hear about it, but the European Union will without a doubt get back at the US for this. Don’t expect to hear about exactly what is happening. The EU is no pushover , America is in a very big mess, economically too.
To the people who still think the Germans caused the economic downfall, Were do Goldman Sachs, Franny Mac and JP Morgan come from again?
Eh… Who said Germany were the reason for the economic crisis mein freund?
Jewish owned financial giants.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is a government agency. J P Morgan and Goldman Sachs are not Jewish owned.
Who thought you how to think ? Goebbels?
Exactly.Go Tobann’s comment reeks of anti-semitism.
It’s the old ‘Jews run america” bullsh1t, I can’t believe people are still coming up with that crap.
@Go Tobann
Someone told me once that Jewish International Capitalism was behind Germany’s defeat in World War One. And at the same time, the Jews started the Bolshevik revolution – via Jewish intellectuals like Marx, and strategists like Trotsky et al. That was a cover story, so that they could deny responsibility for stabbing Germany in the back. Then the Jews started the Nazi party through the great Oscar winning Jewish actor, Charlie Chaplin. His convincing performance as the Austrian WWI veteran Adolf Hitler allowed them to take over the German government, and conspire with them to sacrifice 6m of their own to the Nazis to gain international sympathy for the state of Israel. This answers the question of where Hitler’s body is – it was Chaplin all along! But of course this all goes back even further to another Jew, Jesus Christ, who started all this stuff in the first place…
Do me a favour and don’t believe everything you read on Stormfront. Actually, better not believe any of it at all.
Jewish owned financial giants.
Not surprised in the slightest by all of this. I doubt the political elite are stupid enough not to know or suspect some type of surveillance of their calls, e mails etc. But by god this is good political capital.
Feckin yanks. One standard for them and another for the rest of the world
Let them spy on each other to their hearts content.
They will become so paranoid about each other that they will leave us alone.
I cannot believe that a powerful and well connected World leader such as Enda Kenny is not being spied on by the CIA….not even Eamonn Gilmore and his absolute staunch beliefs in human rights?
I really hope it’s revealed that Enda’s mobile phone was tapped, just for comedy show of Enda summoning the US ambassador.
Who in the name of god would anyone want to tap Kenny’s phone Ha ha ha, wait maybe RIchard Bruton would. Certainly not the yanks.
“I happen to be the Taoiseach of a small country, I think it’s an appalling situation if that were to be true, I always operate on the basis that the calls I’m making are all listened to.” – Enda Kenny.
That comment doesn’t even make sense. He’s surprised Angela’s phone is tapped but thinks his own calls are being monitored.
Either Enda is:
A) Talking shite
B) Has an over-inflated sense of self worth
or
C) All of the above.
Cowanwatch..great name that.. I think the answer to your question above is…. C !! but its nice to know the German “Kuh” is pissed at the USA , and dont forget a little bit of schadenfreude goes a long way !
That’s a big assumption: Would you bother to listen if he called you?
Trying to prevent another Nein 11…
See and like what you did there.
It should open our eyes to the phone tapping and espionage carried out by the British MI5/MI6 for over thirty years on our Government. Thus with the benefit of such delicate information they must have influenced political decisions through the medium of the media concerning the troubles In the North. Sinn Fein party is a party that would be privy to such sinister forces in existence in our country, hence the term, “West Brits.” We only have to look back at a member of our Dàil, Conor Cruise O Brien a Labour Party member who removed all of the Board of RTE and we now have a politically controlled RTE. Conor Cruise O Brien later joined the UK party, O. Briens close friend is the journalist Eoghan Harris, those two individuals puts espionage and the term “West Brits” into perspective!
Sinn Fein is another ‘player’ in the espionage game.It would be naive to think they do not have their own methods of gathering intelligence.
@al shamen. I sure hope you are right about Sinn Fein. Because the FF,FG,Lb parties are only puppets for the British,Europe and Americans. Hence they paying the Bondholders and the cartel that operate the Banks at the expense of Irish Citizens, primarily the working class!
We should not fool ourselves by thinking that members of the Irish government don’t have their phones bugged. If Ireland defaulted there would be a domino effect through out Europe and American investment would be at risk. Why do you think Merkel was patting our subordinate Taoiseach on the head?
SF is no different to the rest of the rabble.Look at the record in the North.Austerity budget,after austerity budget,while criticising FG for doing the same thing down here.
Ireland has been presenting its rear end for years to whichever powerful entity is prepared to invest in our economy.Our politicians are craven and are more concerned about our image in the eyes of our European ‘partners’(masters), than charting a course that is in the best interest for the Irish people.Democracy is a sham in this country.Every other European country has an anti-EU political party.Where is ours?Vote FF,FG,Labour,SF whatever,it really does not matter.The result is the same.
The finances in the North are coming from the British purse not from Sinn Fein as you are trying to imply! The British loaned the Irish government Billions, not because they were concerned for us but they were protecting their own investments.
Where did I imply the finances come from SF which is a ludicrous statement in itself?’Finances’ as you put it come from taxpayers not political party.But you’re right,the British taxpayer subsidises NI to the tune of billions every year.
Yanks are right to spy. Germany runs the show in Europe.
How does that make it “right”?
They are supposed to be allies ffs.
Joey joe you can’t be serious, our economies are used and abused by criminals and cartels mostly controlled by the gambling Bondholders and Banks. They control the rest of us by using the most abused and exploited word in the English dictionary….DEMOCRACY!
Charles Tilly would say the only difference between politicians and organised criminal gangs is one has the law on its side.
Save some tin-foil for the roast will you Michael!!
Yanks are right to spy.-
yes they might actually learn something – doubtful thought. They are fixed in their ways .
Rothshilds run both countries and by default, everything else.
All of the major world powers spy on each other. It is standard practice. The Germans, of all people, should not be surprised at other countries taking an interest in their affairs.
I hope Frau Merkel made no unkind comments about her Irish pixies.
Meanwhile student group, europe v facebook, is launching a fresh attack on how deeply the social network was involved in the US spying programme.
It has won the right for a review of why the Irish data protection commissioner is not investigating the amount of European data shared with the US.
Commissioner Billy Hawkes has previously claimed that there “is nothing to investigate” over Facebook’s role in the PRISM programme.
Max Schrem, who heads the group, remains unconvinced.
“When it comes to the fundamental rights of millions of users and the biggest surveillance scandal in years, he will have to take responsibility and do something about it,” he said.
What’s she hiding.
What’s she hiding.”
– How to run a successful Economy . Something the yanks seem incapable of doing.
The fact that plenty of her fellow east German party colleuges who worked in the STASI are now working in both German intelligence services.who are busily intercepting German citizens emails,SKYPE calls and draining info from every EU countrys offices ,embassies and consulates in Berlin and Brussells.
Dont worry folks its not the US we have to worry about,its our EU friends and colleuges who are listening in on us.
“May” have happened since 2002. The President would have stopped it had he known about it? Just who is running this circus?
Was Merkel’s phone really bugged all that time by America?
… It does not matter in a way. If the populace believe in these narratives, and feel that these intrusions are possible and that there is a all seeing cloud above their heads at all time, that is the key.
Its Mind control. An enforced obedience through imagined boundary-less access with the aim of getting people to police themselves. It has worked very well in larger disparate countries like Russian and China and recently America. Politicians’ only care is to control the population. These little narratives help this end, as they very subtly play on peoples paranoid side and subtle fears of stepping out of line.
For anything important – Am Post is great)
“Germany is doing with Banks, what it failed to do with tanks.”
Oh-o. And here’s and Angy enjoying the auld dirty talk over the phone.. How embarrassing !
Nope, don’t believe it, merkel is not that dumb , or the German police for that matter .
You can bet your shirt on Germany and lots of other countries having their very own security survillance and monitoring operations.
I know France has and this saving the world from terrorist attack bull America keeps saying is not necessary there it’s not their place, France intercepted at least 20 active threats with their own crowd as of 2008 probably more since but it’s not the grand US so not global news
With the paycheck shes on youd think she could afford a smartphone ;-)
…Bush’ s fault..Barry to inept to order on his own anyhow
If she lived in West Cork she wouldn’t have that problem!!
Well… if it’s in “The Mirror” then it must be true.
Great picture!
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