Majority of young people seek out established Irish news sources, survey finds 

The survey of people aged 16-29 for representative group NewsBrands Ireland found that eight in 10 people in this age group engage with Irish news organisations every week, with print and digital platforms seen as the most trusted source of information among those surveyed. File picture

A majority of young adults turn to established news sources when they are concerned about the potential of being duped by “fake news” online.

The survey of people aged 16-29 for representative group NewsBrands Ireland found that eight in 10 people in this age group engage with Irish news organisations every week, with print and digital platforms seen as the most trusted source of information among those surveyed.

Three in five (61%) agreed that journalism is important in today’s society while over four in five (83%) said that investigative journalism that uncovers hidden issues is valuable.

Being exposed to the news also prompted people to take further action, such as researching a topic further (24%), signing petitions (19%), or voting in elections (17%).

It found that over three-quarters of people (78%) are concerned about fake news online, and a majority (57%) said they would turn first to established news brands online or in print to verify a story they saw.

NewsBrands said the survey showed a wide variety of interests among young people who read the news, such as international news and politics, with a story about civilian deaths in Gaza being the most clicked-on in the survey.

As adults move through their 20s, they become more interested in topics such as technology, health, and medicine.

Over half said they actively seek out in-depth articles beyond the headlines, while sport is the most popular news category, particularly for young men.

NewsBrands Ireland CEO Ann Marie Lenihan said the findings showed that young people are being informed by Irish news sources, and it is helping to guide them through the “maze of online misinformation”.

Young audiences trust and rely on professional journalism to verify stories, make sense of current events, and participate meaningfully in society.

“That trust is invaluable, both for public discourse and for the influence news brands have on consumer behaviour.” 

The research for the survey was carried out by agency Colourtext, which sampled the views of 2,000 young people aged 16-29 across the country.