Perceptions matter

European countries score high on the World Press Freedom Index, with 5 EU Member States being among the top 10 countries for press freedom worldwide. The Freedom House assessment on press freedom evaluates the media in EU Member States as free or partly free.

Nevertheless, a recent opinion poll issued by the European Commission (“Eurobarometer”) has shown that EU citizens believe that there is still considerable work to be done in ensuring the independence of their media. This perception prepares the ground for the growth in credibility of alternative news sources in the European Union, such as Russian state-owned outlets Sputnik and Russia Today.

More people trust their media in Finland than France
53% of the respondents agree their national media provide trustworthy information, while 44% disagree. In 19 Member States, the majority of respondents agree their national media provide trustworthy information. Nearly nine in ten in Finland (88%) think this way, as do more than three quarters in Sweden and Denmark (both 77%). In contrast, respondents in Greece (26%), France (34%) and Spain (38%) are the least likely to trust their media.

In 22 Member States, the majority of respondents think national television is reliable. Again, Finland, Denmark and Sweden are most likely to agree, compared to one in six respondents in Greece (16%), 31% in Spain and 41% in France. Social media is widely mistrusted as a reliable source of information.

Freedom from political pressure is key
Trust in national media is particularly high on those countries where respondents believe that their media are free from political pressure. This is the case for instance in Finland, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. On the other hand, in France, Greece, and Spain, for instance, respondents trust their national media much less and are much less likely to think their national media are free from outside pressure.