TO mark Local Newspaper Week today (Thursday May 17) is #TrustedNewsDay when publishers across Britain are fighting back against fake news.

Local newspapers are the most trusted and popular source of local news, according to new YouGov research published earlier this year.

The research, commissioned by Local Media Works, was based on a survey of more than 2,000 Britons and found that local newspapers in print and digital are more than three times more trusted for local news and information than social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Local newspapers, which are read by 42 million British adults in print and digital, scored highest for trust with 74 per cent of respondents agreeing that they trusted the news and information in their local newspaper.

Local papers are also the most trusted of all the other sources, coming ahead of local commercial TV and local commercial radio which both scored 73 per cent.

Of those asked, 43 per cent said they trusted search engines, 22 per cent trusted social media, whilst 39 per cent felt other websites was their most trusted source of news.

The YouGov findings echo those of the recent Edelman Trust Barometer 2018 which found that trust in traditional media in the UK is at its highest level in six years, up 13 points to 61 per cent.

Trust in social platforms has dropped to 24 per cent and trust in search engines has dropped to 47 per cent.

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

  • EVERY day reporters from our offices in Stourbridge are delving into stories from the communities they cover.

Whether it is covering crime, telling tales of personal success or tragedy, reporting on local and national politics or simply keeping people informed about day-to-day life in their neighbourhoods, our professional journalists follow strict legal and professional standards to ensure articles are fair and accurate.

Our group of Stourbridge-based titles, Stourbridge News, The Shuttle, Bromsgrove Advertiser, Dudley News, Redditch and Alcester Advertiser, and Halesowen News are read in print and online by more than a million people every month.