Newspapers and Yle are the most reliable online news media in Finland

The reliability of different online news services was surveyed for the first time. Yle (Yleisradio) and newspapers were also considered better than other online media in terms of quality.

Finnish respondents evaluated their trust in online news services on a scale of 1 to 10. The final score for Yle’s digital services was 7.9, while newspapers received a score of 7.6. MTV’s digital services were in third place with a considerably lower score of 6.9. Fourth and fifth places were taken by journals (6.4) and free newspapers (6.3). Social media services received the lowest scores, with TikTok (2.2) and Jodel (2.3) at the very bottom.

Yle dominates the results particularly among people aged over 65. Among the youngest respondents, those aged 15–24, the online services of newspapers are as trusted as Yle, with a score of 8.2. The digital content of newspapers is considered to be as reliable as their printed content.

Almost three quarters of respondents (64%) mention that trust has become an increasingly important factor in their own use of media. The importance of trust has increased the most (70%) among people aged 15–24.

Over 70% of respondents aged over 15 consider the digital publications of newspapers to be as reliable as their printed publications.

Yle’s digital services and newspapers are also the most high-quality news media online

News Media Finland has surveyed people’s perceptions of the quality of various news services for many years. As in previous years, the digital services of both Yle and newspapers are considered to have the best quality.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Yle’s digital services received a score of 7.8 from Finnish respondents aged over 15, while the digital services of newspapers received a score of 7.5. MTV’s digital services were in third place, with a score almost an entire point lower (6.7).

The ranking of the highest rated media services was the same in quality as it was in reliability. Social media services received the lowest scores in both quality and reliability.

Yle and newspapers also excel in strengthening democracy and freedom of speech

Respondents were also given an open-ended question on which news media services strengthen democracy and freedom of speech. Yle and newspapers received the most praise. The most commonly mentioned newspaper was Helsingin Sanomat.
Many respondents felt that all reliable, high-quality, diverse, independent and impartial media strengthened democracy and freedom of speech.

Newspapers are seen as acting the most responsibly 

Respondents also evaluated the behaviour of different media in terms of environmental liability, financial accountability, social responsibility and corporate social responsibility. First place was shared between printed and digital newspapers. Among Finns, 58% said both printed and digital newspapers act responsibly in at least some of these areas.