Media, Trust and Democracy: Britain’s Information Crisis

Britain is in the grip of an information crisis. Trust in news media has fallen to historic lows. Conspiracy theories and misinformation circulate at scale. Political discourse has coarsened.

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The Data

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Reuters Institute annual surveys show UK news trust falling from around 50% in 2015 to below 35% today. The decline is particularly pronounced among younger adults.

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The Causes

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The collapse of local journalism has left communities without reliable information about local affairs. Social media algorithms amplify outrage and division. A small but influential ecosystem of partisan news sites fills the vacuum.

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What Quality Journalism Can Do

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Independent, well-resourced journalism that holds power to account is the best antidote to misinformation. It is also, paradoxically, under the most financial pressure.

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National Herald's Commitment

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We were founded on a simple principle: truth, without favour. Every story we publish is held to that standard. We have no political allegiance and no commercial interest that overrides the public interest.

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