“Fake news” is a term that worries many Americans – and according to an online survey, some Canadians too.
Marketing firm Edelman Canada said their 2018 ‘Trust Barometer’ revealed 54 per cent of Canadians consume news less than weekly. It also showed 63 per cent of Canadians believe news agencies are more concerned with gaining large audiences than the quality of reporting. From a global perspective, 50 per cent of people are consuming media less than weekly.
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Lisa Kimmel is the president and CEO of Edelman Canada and was stunned by the numbers shown by the trust barometer. She feels that way because she believes Canada as a whole is filled with articulate people.
“I’m shocked that 54% of Canadians are consuming media weekly because we are such a highly educated company,” Kimmel said. “We’re also trusting of our institutions here.”
The Edelman ‘Trust Barometer’ is the groups yearly inquiry, which surveys people on their trust in business, media and government. 2018’s online version of the research project sampled more than 33,000 people in 28 worldwide markets.
Although the study’s results are not encouraging, Kimmel is hopeful the numbers will surge in the coming years. She said her optimism is a result of expected growth in the media industry.
“Hopefully with the continued rise of journalism in this country, people are going to start engaging and consuming media more frequently,” Kimmel said.
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