Trust score in news stable at 37% since start of PBBM admin – report

The Reuters Institute 2024 report noted that many of the longest-established media brands enjoy relatively high levels of trust, with GMA Network topping the list with a brand trust rating of 72 percent. (Pexels Photo)

MANILA – The overall trust in news has remained stable at 37 percent since the beginning of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration in 2022, according to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s 2024 Digital News Report (DNR).

The 37 percent overall trust score in news between 2022 and 2024 represents an increase of 10 percent from 2020 and 5 percent from 2021.

Preliminary observations made by UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan following her visit to Manila early this year indicate that the Marcos administration is “more amiable” toward the press than the previous one.

The Reuters Institute 2024 report noted that many of the longest-established media brands enjoy relatively high levels of trust, with GMA Network topping the list with a brand trust rating of 72 percent.

Trailing GMA Network are TV5 with 67 percent; the Philippine Daily Inquirer with 66 percent; and Manila Bulletin, Super Radyo dzBB, and the Philippine Star all with a 65 percent rating.

They were followed by ABS-CBN and DZRH with 64 percent; local or regional newspapers and TeleRadyo with 60 percent; state-run Radyo Pilipinas with percent; state-run PTV with 58 percent; SunStar with 53 percent; Abante with 49 percent; and Rappler with 46 percent.

For traditional offline media, such as television, radio, and print, GMA Network scored the highest weekly reach at 47 percent, followed by ABS-CBN at 40 percent, then the Philippine Daily Inquirer at 27 percent, TV5 at 23 percent, and Manila Bulletin and 22 percent.

As for online media, GMA News online recorded the highest weekly use at 45 percent, followed by ABS-CBN News online at 40 percent, then Inquirer at 30 percent, Rappler at 23 percent, and Philippine Star online at 21 percent.

This year’s report showed that 82 percent of Filipinos consumed news online, including social media with 63 percent news consumers.

Forty-six percent of Filipinos got their news from television, while 13 percent obtained their news from print.

“Online and social media remain the most popular sources of news in the Philippines, with our more urban sample. TV and radio news is important for those who are not online, but reach has declined over the last five years,” the Reuters Institute said.

The top five social media platforms for news consumption are Facebook at 61 percent; YouTube at 45 percent; Facebook Messenger at 26 percent; TikTok at 23 percent; and Instagram at 12 percent.