LOCAL NEWS PUBLISHERS AMONG THE MOST TRUSTED SOURCES OF NEWS IN IRELAND

A prestigious new report on news in Ireland has shown that local newspapers and their online channels are among the most trusted in the country.

The Reuters Digital News Report 2026 shows that 69% of those surveyed trust their local newspapers, while levels of distrust are lowest for local media, ahead of all other news sources, including broadcast, print and online.

President of Local Ireland and Managing Director of the Southern Star Seán Mahon said: “The Reuters Digital News Report Ireland shows once again that local newspaper brands, both in print and online, continue to be amongst the most trusted media brands in Ireland.

“And our combined print and online consumption means we’ve never had so many readers thanks to our digital expansion.”

The report shows that while trust in generally sourced news is declining in Ireland, it still has higher levels of trust than in other countries, and for major news brands in Ireland, such as local news publishers, trust is still very strong.

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said: “Each year, the Digital News Report Ireland gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on Ireland’s media landscape, and to better understand from the Irish public how they read, watch, listen, stream and engage with news.

“This year’s report offers a fascinating insight into the dynamics at play in a complex, fragmented news ecosystem. While Irish audiences remain interested in news, there has been a significant decline in their trust in news generally, while trust in major news brands has remained steady.

“The ambition of Coimisiún na Meán is to develop and maintain a media landscape that consumers can trust. We do not take the Irish public’s continued interest in news for granted, and the findings underline the need for ongoing attention to the sustainability of the media sector, media literacy, and the evolving role of platforms and technologies in shaping the news media environment.

“For our part, An Coimisiún will continue to support Ireland’s media landscape through investing in high-quality news reporting through our Journalism Schemes and with our support for media literacy initiatives.’’

Research for the Digital News Report is undertaken by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford and analysis of the Irish data is provided by the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo).

FuJo Director Professor Jane Suiter said: “Despite the worrying trend of declining trust in news, this year’s survey finds that Irish people continue to trust major brands, including our national state broadcaster. The strong trust in local outlets also speaks to the importance of a continuing robust regional news offering in the country.”

The full report on Ireland can be found here https://www.cnam.ie/app/uploads/2026/06/Digital_News_Report_2026.pdf