Many people have preferences for certain news channels, and even certain news anchors, and are very particular about who they rely on to keep them informed about the latest goings on in their region and around the globe.
Even for the biggest news channel in the world to survive in the business, they must work hard to earn the trust of their viewers, and help them to have faith that what they are presenting them with, is the truth.
Recent studies have shown that consumers of news i.e. those who watch it on the television or online, listen to it on the radio, or read it in a newspaper, tend to pay more attention to stories from organizations that they trust, and are more likely to be distrustful of news presented to them by any other channel. These studies also showed five principles, which if upheld by news channels, can help them earn (and keep) the trust of their viewers, readers, or listeners:
- Being accurate
A significant percentage of adults surveyed stated that they trust a news channel mainly because it delivers news that’s accurate. Whatever the topic or story may be, if it’s right, it’s believable, and if it’s believable, it’s trustworthy.
With detailed information and data that’s proven to be reliable, news channels can give viewers an increased perception of accuracy.
- Delivering news quickly and completely
Many news consumers want the latest information as soon as it comes in, and those organizations that can deliver the answers to key questions, quickly, are generally deemed to be more trustworthy.
- Familiarity and openness
Consumers of news are far more likely to trust channels that they are familiar with, and who can explain the way in which they gathered their information, and reported it.
- Diversity of viewpoints
It’s vital if a news channel wants to be seen as trustworthy, for it to present a range of viewpoints on certain stories and topics, that represent the diversity of the population, and the many differences of opinion. A balance needs to be achieved between delivering content that viewers can relate to, while also exposing them to ideas that are different, and which they may not ordinarily agree with or understand.
- Delivering information that’s easy to understand
The majority of viewers want their news to be delivered to them concisely, and in a way that they can understand. That said, they also want in-depth news coverage, news that they can pick up on quickly and conveniently, and for online news content, they want the site to be easy to navigate and easy to use while multi-tasking.
News consumers are often incredibly loyal, with the top 10 news channel in the world typically attracting an audience who values trust above all else, and who can rely on them to provide verifiable and easy-to-understand news coverage. Once they’ve found a news channel that consistently delivers trustworthy information, has news anchors who are keen to show the diverse opinions of a range of people, and which gives them access to the stories they want to hear, as soon as they break, they may never willingly watch another channel in their entire lifetime!