Trust levels in online media have risen sharply from 13 per cent last year to 30 per cent this year, putting the category ahead of TV and behind only newspapers.
Edelman regional president Alan VanderMolen (pictured) attributed the shift to the growing demand for dialogue and choice. “Transparency and control are the big factors,” said VanderMolen. “With online, you have the ability to talk back. It encourages people to think before they put their opinions down, and to engage in a broader civil discourse.”
The survey also found that management/leadership has become the standout reason behind trust in a corporation, moving ahead of brand/product quality. Ethics/integrity, meanwhile, saw the largest increase in this area. Overall, said VanderMolen, the “intensity” of all drivers of ‘good and responsible behaviour’ has increased significantly, pointing to “an insatiable hunger for information” on the part of respondents.
“We want to see a better performance on good and responsible behaviour,” said VanderMolen.