Amid growing concerns about misinformation, television, radio and newspapers remain the most trusted news platforms among Canadians, with 85 per cent of respondents to a recent thinktv/YouGov survey rating those news sources as trustworthy.
In comparison, online news platforms (excluding established newspaper or broadcaster websites/apps) are considered trustworthy by 69 per cent of Canadians, while social media is trusted by only 41 per cent, according to the survey, which was conducted in March 2025.
The survey revealed that 95 per cent of Canadians say access to Canadian news and journalism is important. At the same time, concern about fake news is growing, with 90 per cent of Canadians saying they are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about fake news, marking a significant increase of more than 10 percentage points since March 2023, the survey showed.
Compared to other news sources, television is the top choice among Canadians for national news. According to the survey, 60 per cent of Canadians turn to TV for national news on a weekly or more frequent basis, while 58 per cent watch TV for their local news just as often.
“News programming on TV isn’t just widely watched and trusted by viewers — it’s also a prime opportunity for advertisers,” thinktv says in a summary of the survey’s findings, released April 9. “Canadians rank ads shown during news programs as the most trustworthy, memorable, and attention-grabbing compared to other TV genres,” including comedies, dramas and reality TV.
Chart courtesy of thinktv
