Trust in the Media is back: Survey

PAGADIAN CITY - PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc. conducted its comprehensive PAHAYAG Third Quarter (PQ3-2023) survey from September 7-12 and the results revealed a significant resurgence in public trust in media outlets during this period.

Contrary to the prevailing trend of weakened trust ratings for officials and government agencies, the majority of news outlets experienced a notable boost in trust during the third quarter. Some outlets even achieved their highest trust ratings in seven quarters, marking a positive shift in public sentiment towards media organizations.

Leading the resurgence was GMA7, which made a remarkable recovery from a dip in the second quarter, increasing its trust rating from 44% to an impressive 52%. This resurgence allowed GMA7 to reclaim its top spot in the rankings.

Following closely behind were CNN Philippines (with a trust rating increase from 45% to 48%), Philippine Daily Inquirer (from 39% to 44%), ABS-CBN (Online) (from 36% to 43%), Manila Bulletin (from 37% to 42%), and TV5/Interaksyon (from 35% to 42%). 

The trust ratings of radio stations also saw significant increases, with dzBB (from 29% to 37%), dzRH (from 31% to 37%), and Bombo Radyo (from 31% to 36%) all experiencing substantial gains in public trust.

One noteworthy observation is the significant contribution to this increase in trust coming from the North-Central Luzon Area, often referred to as the "Baluarte" of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as well as in Mindanao often referred to as the “Baluarte of Duterte”. 

The marked shift in trust in this region further underscores the contrast between the generally low trust ratings for government officials and the positive disposition of the public towards media outlets. Importantly, this boost in trust is not confined to a few isolated segments but is reflected across multiple demographics and regions.

The survey indicated a resurgence in the credibility and trustworthiness of news outlets, emphasizing the crucial role of media in fostering informed and engaged communities, according to PUBLiCUS Asia.

The PAHAYAG 2023 Third Quarter Survey (PQ3) is an independent and non- commissioned survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. It is a nationwide purposive survey with 1,500 Filipino registered voter-respondents randomly drawn from a market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos maintained by PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with a multinational presence. (Mindanao Examiner)