Multiple major surveys show that the UK, aka Absurdistan, ranks near the bottom internationally in public trust in the media.
The Edelman Trust Barometer found that the UK was the least‑trusted media environment among 28 countries. Only 31% of people said they trust the media to ‘do what is right.’
Another Edelman survey (2023) showed trust at 37%, still among the lowest globally.
Trust in the UK press has been low since the 1980s and remains low today.
Reasons cited include:
Government control ‘the keyboard government plays on.’
Historical scandals (e.g., corruption, illegalities, phone hacking)
Fake news
Strong left-wing political alignment of television, radio and newspapers
Artificial sensationalism
In 2024, 71% of adults consume news online. Additionally, 70% consume news via TV. The mix of regulated and unregulated sources, including social media and independent creators, makes trust harder to measure and maintain.
Global context
Only 40% of people across the Western Alliance trust ‘most news most of the time’. This is shown by a Reuters Institute study. The UK sits below that average.
Why trust is low: key factors
• Misinformation (fake news) and the rise of AI‑generated content.
• Political (liberal-left) bias
• Tabloid culture and aggressive editorial styles
Scandals involving major news organizations. Competition from social media leads to fragmentation of news sources online.
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