NZ Media In ‘Relegation Zone’ – Global Study

NZ Media In ‘Relegation Zone’ – Global Study. A new ‘trust’ barometer based on a global study has found that compared to media around the world, our news media is in what we call in sporting terms – the relegation zone. The communications agency that oversaw the study suggested that the media should “Write accurate headlines instead of exaggerated or fear-inducing ones” and “Dedicate equal time and coverage to different viewpoints on big issues”. Don’t hold your breath.

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NZ Media In ‘Relegation Zone’ – Global Study

A new ‘trust’ barometer based on a global study has found that compared to media around the world, our news media is in what we call in sporting terms – the relegation zone. Or the drop zone.

In its 26th year, the Edelman Trust Barometer is a global study published every year that covers a range of societal indicators of trust among business, media, government and NGOs.

More than 35,000 people took part in the 2026 global survey across 29 countries – an average of 1,200 respondents per country which is statistically significant.

Additionally, the Edelman Trust Institute also conducted the 2026 Trust Barometer research among 1,150 respondents from New Zealand in partnership with Acumen. The Trust Index (average level of trust across business, NGOs, government and media) in New Zealand has been declining incrementally since 2022 and the Trust Index puts us in the distrust category.

You can see that us Kiwis generally have low trust in business, government, media, and NGOs compared to the other countries – although not the lowest.

Last year, 23^rd out of 29 countries – average trust of 47% compared to the average of 56%

This year, slightly more positive – 21^st out of 29 with 49% average trust compared to the average of 57% – a slight raise also.

The NZ report said

The 2026 Acumen Edelman Trust Barometer* shows a clear move away from shared understanding towards a more inward-looking mindset, where people are increasingly cautious about those who see the world differently.

Around three-quarters of New Zealanders (76%, on average) are now hesitant or unwilling to trust someone whose values, beliefs, approaches to problem-solving, or background differ from their own. People are increasingly sticking with what and who they know, retreating into familiar circles for information, relationships and reassurance.

At the heart of this shift is a more uncertain environment. Economic pressure, the rapid pace of technological change, and the ongoing impact of misinformation are all contributing to a loss of confidence about the future.

This one also fascinated me. When asked if they “get information from sources with a different political leaning than [their own] at least weekly” – just 39% – down 6 points in one year.

The media will tell you it’s just the US that is politically divided. This chart shows just how misleading that statement is. Unfortunately we don’t actually have NZ data – but you can see it’s worldwide trend.

The only NZ-specific data was this

When asked “I would rather switch departments than report to a manager with different values

than me (among employees) 32% said yes. Less than the global average of 42%

When asked “If my project team leader had different political beliefs than me, I would put less effort into helping them succeed” 19% said yes. Less than the global average of 34%.

So the politics hasn’t quite seeped into the workplace just yet.

But we are very pessimistic.

The survey shows only 17% of New Zealanders believe the next generation will be better off compared to today, down from 19% last year – that’s less than 1 in 5 – with the global average sitting at 32% down from 36% last year. So we are a negative lot at the moment.

Maybe that’s got to do with our frustration with the media!

Here’s the key result. Trust in media has slightly increased worldwide. 2% points. Blue is trust, red is distrust, grey is neutral.

What about NZ – you ask? Glad you asked.

So the data from two years ago – 2023. Trust in NZ media was sitting at 41%. But worldwide, it averaged 50% – so we’re disproportionately low.

It then plummeted to 35% last year – from 41% two years before but has had a rebound up to 39.

Cause for celebration? Remember that number – 39% trust.

By the way, we trust media about as much as our politicians. Perhaps that’s why they hate each other!

Here’s the “global” rate again for trust in media. Increase of 4 points since 2023. 2 in the last year.

I’ve circled where NZ would sit with its score of 39.

2^nd to bottom equal with the UK tabloids including the BBC, The Guardian, The Sun and the Daily Mirror. What competition.

And ahead of just Japan who have the wooden spoon or termed the ‘cellar dwellar’.

In sporting terms, we’re in the relegation zone. Or the drop zone.

Remember – trust in news media worldwide has actually increased since 2023 by 4 points but NZ has dropped 2.

So is the increase signs of a recovery for the media – even if it still is below an embarrassing 40%??

I mean we should really be doing what the media do when Luxon has a bad poll or a bad press conference and be standing outside their newsrooms doorstopping them or waiting at the airport with a microphone and asking them whether they’re going to retire eh

You probably saw no media coverage of this latest survey, did you.

There was one. NZ Herald – deep within an article. A small mention – with a congratulations to itself.

Media trust edges up

Some heartening news for those of us at the coalface of journalism.

Media trust in New Zealand is edging up, with still a lot of work to do, according to the latest Acumen Edelman Trust Barometer.

The percentage of people who trust media is now at 39% – up from 36% in 2024 and 35% in 2025.

But trust in the media is still below that of three other institutions – business, NGOs, and the Government.

Here’s the best bit

In a statement, Acumen chief executive Adelle Keely said media could “reduce division by prioritising accuracy and balance over amplification”.

The trust barometer had two key areas of focus for media:

“Write accurate headlines instead of exaggerated or fear-inducing ones”;
“Dedicate equal time and coverage to different viewpoints on big issues”.

Oh – you think!!!!

The problem is that we don’t expect that standard any more.

The Edelman Trust Barometer along with all the other surveys confirms that.

This is consistent with all the other trust surveys we have seen

The 2024 Ipsos Quality of Life survey published last year showed that just 27% of kiwis have some level of trust for the news media. Just under half of us (48%) have various levels of distrust – with the remaining 25% sitting on the fence.

A 2024 survey by academics from Victoria University and University of Otago reported that 60% of survey participants reported they sometimes, often, or almost always avoid the news. But this total of 60% is higher than any other national figure reported in other studies. The average news avoidance across the 46 countries surveyed by Reuters was 32.6%. The average. We’re almost double that! Yes – we have some of the highest rates of news avoidance in the world.

The most recent measurement was last April – the Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report produced by AUT – part of a survey of 47 countries. In 2020, 53% of New Zealanders trusted news in general. That figure is now at 32%. 21 percentage point drop. Just 1 in 3 NZ’ers trust “most of the news most of the time”. So that’s not even “fully trust”.

There’s that pesky US at the bottom with us again

As I said, I think I’ll grab my camera and microphone, stake some ground outside some newsrooms or watch for them at the airport and ask them why their ratings are so low – and are they going to retire?

Or – at the very least – do what the Acumen chief executive suggested