Summarised by Centrist
Trust in New Zealand’s news media has fallen to its lowest level since AUT’s Journalism, Media and Democracy (JMAD) centre began tracking it in 2020.
According to the latest Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report, just 32% – less than one third – of New Zealanders say they trust “most of the news, most of the time.” That’s down from 53% in 2020 and now sits below the international average.
Trust in the news people personally consume also dropped from 62% in 2020 to just 45% in 2025.
The report cites growing public concern over political bias, with many New Zealanders believing news outlets reflect the political leanings of their newsrooms.
This perception continues to fuel disengagement, with 73% now saying they actively avoid the news, often citing bias, negativity, or emotional manipulation as key reasons. However, this figure was slightly higher in 2024 at 75%.
The most trusted news outlet in New Zealand in 2025 is RNZ, which received an average trust score of 6 out of 10 in AUT’s annual survey, measured on a scale where 0 means “not at all trustworthy” and 10 means “completely trustworthy.”
It was followed closely by the Otago Daily Times on 5.9. The National Business Review (NBR) and TVNZ tied for third with average scores of 5.6. Just behind them, the NZ Herald, BusinessDesk, interest.co.nz, Newsroom, Stuff, The Listener, and Three News all received trust scores of 5.5.
In 2025, 58% of New Zealanders used Facebook as a news source, up from 53% in 2024. YouTube also saw rapid growth, rising from 33% to 43%. Instagram was used by 39% and TikTok by 17%. Facebook is now the fourth most-used platform for news, with YouTube close behind in fifth.
Yet, only 13% say they trust news from social media.
