Trust buster
As global crises escalate, new data shows Australians’ trust in news is flatlining — and distrust is rising — in an increasingly chaotic media landscape.
One global story dominated this week, and the headlines of our morning newsletter Standup captured the shifting dynamic — from Monday’s Third day of Israel-Iran conflict rocks markets to this morning’s Trump to decide on Iran in two weeks.
The Israel-Iran conflict — and the potential role of the United States — is an enormously significant story. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese missed his highly anticipated meeting with President Trump as a result, while oil prices spiked, adding another layer to the biggest domestic business story of the week: the $30 billion bid for local gas major Santos by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company, Adnoc.
The point is that there’s an awful lot of high-stakes news unfolding right now. It’s the kind of moment when, in a previous era, the big mainstream news outlets would thrive. But it’s increasingly unclear whether that’s still the case.
The most reputable study of consumer attitudes towards the news industry was released this week — and it paints a picture of an increasingly fragmented information environment. Trust in traditional media is stagnant at best, distrust is on the rise and social media platforms maintain a stranglehold on how people access information.
