Trust in media highest in Finland, lowest in US: Report  

Trust in the news media across the world has rebounded strongly over the last year in almost all countries as there has been a 44% growth compared to earlier surveys, according to a recent report from Reuters Institute. 

The study titled "Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2021" shows that Finland has remained the country with the highest levels of trust (65%), having increased by nine points, while the US now has the lowest levels (29%). 

However, a growing trust gap between the news sources people generally rely on and the news they find in social media and search, remained unchanged on a like-for-like basis.

According to the study, higher trust in the news – and in the sources people use themselves – could be related to extensive coverage of Coronavirus that may have made the news seem more straightforward and fact-based at the same time as squeezing out more partisan political news in some countries.

The US is clearly an exception following deep divisions over a 'stolen election' and the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd. 

The US is one of the few countries not to have seen an increase in trust this year.