In a revealing snapshot of media Ireland, audiences are showing two seemingly conflicting behaviours at once: they still place strong faith in established news brands, yet more people are actively stepping away from the daily news cycle. That tension is one of the standout findings from the latest Digital News Report Ireland 2026, and it says a great deal about how Irish media is being consumed now.
The report, published by Coimisiún na Meán with research from the Reuters Institute and Irish analysis from DCU, shows that 42 per cent of people in Ireland trust most news most of the time. That is a notable decline from 51 per cent a year earlier, even as leading publishers and broadcasters continue to command strong credibility.
What the latest media Ireland trust figures show
The most trusted news sources remain familiar names in the Irish media industry. RTÉ News and local radio news led the rankings, with 71 per cent of respondents describing them as trustworthy. They were followed closely by local newspapers and major national titles including The Irish Times and the Irish Independent.
Key figures from the report include:
- 42% trust most news most of the time
- 51% trust the news they personally use
- 31% trust news from search engines
- 16% trust news from social media
- 14% trust news from AI chatbots
For anyone tracking media news Ireland, the message is clear: brand strength still matters. In an environment shaped by misinformation concerns, audiences are drawing a sharper line between recognised journalism and algorithm-driven information sources.
News avoidance is rising across Irish media
If trust in major outlets is holding up, attention is becoming harder to win. Almost half of respondents said they actively avoid news, the highest level recorded in this study. Interest in news has also fallen sharply from pandemic-era highs, with 54 per cent saying they are very or extremely interested, down from 70 per cent in 2021.
This is one of the more important media trends Ireland should be watching. Audiences are not necessarily rejecting journalism outright; many appear to be overwhelmed by the volume, tone or emotional weight of constant updates.
A clear age divide
The report also highlights a generational split that will shape the future of digital media Ireland:
- Trust is lowest among 18-24-year-olds at 33%
- Trust is highest among over-65s at 52%
That gap matters not just for publishers, but for brands, planners and anyone involved in media strategy Ireland. Younger consumers are growing up in a news environment where social platforms, creators and messaging apps compete directly with publishers for attention.
Why this matters for the wider media industry Ireland
There are still encouraging signals in the data. Ireland compares well internationally on trust, outperforming both the UK and the US. Paid news is also on the rise, with 22 per cent now paying for journalism, up from 9 per cent a decade ago. Many respondents said they subscribe either for unique value or because they want to support public-interest reporting.
Social discovery remains influential, with Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok all playing roles in how people find and discuss news. But the low trust scores for social platforms and AI tools underline a major challenge for the media industry Ireland: distribution is digital, but credibility still rests with established reporting.
Another striking finding for media insights Ireland is that seven in 10 people are concerned about what is real and fake online. That anxiety is likely to deepen the value of trusted editorial brands, even if audiences become more selective about how often they engage.
Quote worth noting: the report effectively paints a market where people still believe in quality journalism, but are becoming more cautious, fatigued and intentional in how they consume it.
In short, media Ireland is facing a credibility-and-attention balancing act. Trusted brands remain resilient, but rising avoidance shows that trust alone is no longer enough. For publishers, broadcasters and the wider Irish media landscape, the next phase will depend on delivering journalism that is not only reliable, but also relevant, usable and worth returning to.
Image Courtesy: The Irish Times
Credit/Courtesy for the Article: The Irish Times
