As Americans seek out the most accurate news in an era of increasing disinformation and malinformation, new research is revealing traditional radio is considered the most trustworthy mass medium – to the tune of almost three times the trust of social media.
Katz Radio Group’s recent study on media trustworthiness surveyed 1,000 adults aged 18 and older across the United States, asking about their beliefs in the accuracy of different mass media forms, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and social media.
Radio holds the highest trust rating among all media types surveyed, with almost 80% of adults considering it very trustworthy or trustworthy. This positions radio slightly ahead of newspapers and more than ten points more trustworthy than television and magazines.
Radio’s trust advantage is most notable when compared with social media, which only garnered trust from about 27% of adults, marking it as the least trusted mass medium.
Trust in radio is consistently high across all age groups but peaks among older adults (55+), where 83% trust radio more than any other media. This age group also shows a comparatively higher trust in magazines and markedly lower trust in social media. Conversely, younger adults (18-34) while more receptive to social media than older generations, still prioritize radio.
Morning Consult data released in March showed a rebound in the credibility of US media over the past four years, led by radio as the most trusted news source. Trust in AM/FM has increased from 60% to 63% over four years, while podcasts have seen a notable rise in credibility, especially among Gen Z and millennials.
Radio’s trust level is above the overall 55% credibility rating for news media among US adults in 2023.
Network news and newspapers follow radio in trust rankings, but social media remains the least trusted source for news here as well. The survey also reveals a generational divide, with Gen Z showing the lowest levels of trust in major media outlets, posing challenges for the future of broadcast news.
