Trust in News Rises After Years of Decline in NZ. What’s Behind the Shift?

Key Takeaways

• General trust in NZ news climbs to 37%, up 5 points.
• Trust in personally consumed news reaches 50%, a five‑point gain.
• Half verify dubious stories via trusted news; only 8% use chatbots.
• 43% would lose trust with political interference; 27% would cancel.
• Respondents value fact‑checked, multi‑source reporting as key trust driver.

Pulse Analysis

The latest JMAD Trust in News report shows New Zealand’s general confidence in the media climbing to 37 percent, the first rise since the series began in 2020 and bringing the nation close to the Reuters Institute’s 40‑percent international average. While still well below the 53 percent peak recorded at the pandemic’s height, the five‑point jump from last year reflects a modest but noteworthy shift in public sentiment. The survey, weighted to mirror the adult population, also reveals that half of respondents now trust the specific outlets they consume, up from 45 percent in 2025. These figures suggest a tentative rebound after years of erosion.

Researchers attribute the improvement largely to growing awareness of disinformation, deep‑fakes and low‑quality AI‑generated content proliferating on social platforms. As New Zealanders become more skeptical of unverified material, they increasingly turn to established news brands for fact‑checking, with over half reporting they verify dubious stories through trusted sources and only 8 percent resorting to chatbots. The poll also highlights a strong aversion to editorial interference: 43 percent say their trust would decline if managers meddled, and another 27 percent would cancel subscriptions. This demand for independence reinforces the value placed on transparent, multi‑source reporting.

For media organisations, the data offers both encouragement and a warning. The modest trust gains can be leveraged to strengthen subscription models and attract advertisers seeking reputable platforms, but the lingering long‑term decline means sustained investment in verification processes and public‑interest journalism remains essential. Policymakers may view the findings as evidence that regulatory frameworks protecting editorial autonomy are paying off, while also recognizing the need for continued support against misinformation. As AI tools become more sophisticated, the industry’s ability to differentiate authentic reporting from fabricated content will likely determine whether the current upward tick solidifies into a lasting recovery.