French mistrust of journalists

In 2022, the Reuters Institute published its report on trust in the world's media. Everywhere, mistrust predominates. Fewer and fewer people believe and respect journalists. In France, the figure was staggering: only 29% of the population surveyed said they trusted journalists. France ranked 41st out of 46 countries surveyed.

What justifies this disenchantment? The figures don't look so bad when you analyze consumption. TV, Internet and radio are among the media most consulted as soon as you wake up in the morning. And yet, distrust reigns. In the United States, this is mainly due to people's political orientation: more conservative people have trouble with the media, which they consider too progressive and judge them on their positions. In France, it's not this factor that comes into play, but rather a question of income and level of education.

33% of the individuals surveyed admitted to information avoidance. In other words, they refuse even to consult the media. This can be explained by a weariness of predictable information, the fact that the latter is discouraging and anxiety-provoking, and also a lack of understanding of what is being shared. In fact, many young people have pointed this out. Should journalists do a better job of educating the public? It's something to think about.

Running time: 7min53