Pinoys’ overall trust in news rises to 38% – report

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos’ overall trust in news increased by a point to 38 percent this year, according to a report released by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

And while a majority of online users said they still prefer to read news rather than watch or listen to it, respondents in some countries, including the Philippines and Thailand, said they prefer video over text.

The report also found that Filipinos increasingly turn to short-form video platform TikTok as their news source.

Reuters Institute said 42 percent of Filipino respondents are using TikTok for any purpose, and 21 percent are using TikTok to access news.

Online and social media remain the top source of news at 86 percent (from 88 percent last year), followed by television at 52 percent (from 60 percent) and print at 14 percent (from 16 percent).

Facebook remained the top social media source for news at 72 percent (from 73 percent), followed by YouTube at 55 percent (from 57 percent), Facebook Messenger at 33 percent (from 35 percent), TikTok at 21 percent (from 15 percent), Twitter at 16 percent (same as last year) and Instagram at 14 percent (from 15 percent).

As for trusted brands, GMA Network is the most trusted media organization at 74 percent, followed by radio dzRH (68 percent trust, seven percent distrust), The Philippine STAR (68 percent trust, eight percent distrust), Super Balita dzBB (68 percent trust, eight percent distrust), Manila Bulletin (68 percent trust, nine percent distrust), TV5 (68 percent trust, 10 percent distrust), Philippine Daily Inquirer (68 percent trust, 11 percent distrust), TeleRadyo (66 percent trust, eight percent distrust), regional or local newspapers (64 percent trust, eight percent distrust) and ABS-CBN (62 percent trust, 18 percent distrust).

Other brands included in the survey were Radyo Pilipinas (61 percent trust, nine percent distrust), PTV (61 percent trust, 12 percent distrust), SunStar (58 percent trust, 10 percent distrust), Abante/Abante Tonight (50 percent trust, 15 percent distrust) and Rappler (47 percent trust, 33 percent distrust).

TikTok usage worldwide increased as 44 percent of respondents aged 18 to 24 said they used TikTok for any purpose, with 20 percent using it for news – up five points from last year.

The report clarified that the survey scores “should not be treated as a list of the most or least trusted brands as it is not exhaustive.”