LOCAL press has been found to be the most trusted source for local news and information, according to new research.

YouGov found that local press in print and digital is three times more trusted than social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn, which only 22 per cent of people found trustworthy.

Local newspapers, which are read by 42 million adults in print and digital, scored highest for trust with 74 per cent of respondents agreeing that they trusted the news and information included in them.

Local papers also came ahead of local commercial TV and local commercial radio, which were trusted by 73 per cent of respondents each and search engines, trusted by 43 per cent.

The survey was commissioned by Local Media Works whose chairman Craig Nayman said: “This survey provides yet more compelling evidence of a resurgence of trust in traditional media outlets, with local media leading the way, as the public become increasingly aware of the dangers associated with social platforms and fake news.

“In the current climate, trust is at a premium and advertisers large and small must recognise the clear advantages of partnering with local media in order to communicate with their audiences in a safe, trusted, and highly effective environment.”

The findings echo those of the recent Edelman Trust Barometer 2018 which found that trust in traditional media is at its highest level in six years.