Algorithms or editors – who do you trust?

The influence an editor yields over his or her reader is in decline according to the Digital News Report 2016 recently published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

The report which focuses on key issues facing the news media, including the impact of social media, ad blocking, people willing to pay for online news and general levels of trust in the media, states that more people trust an algorithm to select the news content they read than a human editor.

According to the report, 36% of readers prefer to see news content selected automatically based on what they have read before. This compares to just 30% who would rather trust the judgment of an editor or journalist. This is despite significant numbers of people being worried that automated news delivery might mean that they miss key information (65%), miss challenging viewpoints (61%) or have concerns about their privacy (49%).

The report highlights that declining levels of trust in journalists and editor along with the increasing number of people turning to social media and news aggregators as their primary source of news adds to the significant commercial problems the news media is facing.

Only 50% of UK consumers believe they can trust the news most times. These levels of trust are however quite positive when compared to the rest of Europe.  In Greece, where the economic crisis has damaged the reputations of multiple institutions, only 20% of the general public have any faith in the news media.

Trust is an important metric when organizations are trying to bolster the economic impact digital is having on the news business. Ad blockers continue to threaten revenues and stifle online growth. 46% of UK consumers aged between 18 and 24 use ad blocking technology. Elsewhere in Europe the figures are as high as 60%.

It is clear from the report, the news industry needs to develop new business models (and quickly) if it is to retain position and build trust. It’s also important to remember that social media and news aggregators are very reliant on the traditional media to feed them with content. One cannot exist without the other. Perhaps this is where future investment in the news has to come from?