Broadcasters ranked as most trusted news sources in Canada, bulldozing print and online: survey

National TV networks are Canadians’ most trusted source for news, according to an annual survey from Pollara Strategic Insights. In its fourth-annual trust in media study, Pollara found CBC, CTV News, and Global News were three of the most trusted news sources, respectively, outranked only by The Weather Network. The survey, conducted in April, asked Canadians how trustworthy they find the news reported by various organizations, to which they could answer trustworthy, untrustworthy, or not familiar. The results found 71 per cent of Canadians think the CBC is trustworthy, followed by 68 per cent for CTV News, and 65 per cent for Global News. On the flip side, 20 per cent of Canadians classified CBC as untrustworthy, whereas CTV and Global were tied at 18 per cent. In comparison, trust for The Weather Network was 78 per cent, and only 12 per cent think the service is untrustworthy. Canadians put far more faith in the national broadcasters than print or online outlets, according to the results. The BBC and The Globe and Mail posted near-identical numbers, convincing only 55 and 56 per cent of Canadians of their reporting, respectively. But respondents aren’t any more skeptical of the publications than TV networks, as both the Globe and BBC posted a four-way tie with CTV and Global, at 18 per cent untrustworthiness. Alongside the CBC, the New York Times and National Post (20 per cent) faced similar levels of public suspicion. The outlets are trusted by 50 per cent and 49 per cent of Canadians, respectively. As for the Toronto Star, it’s trusted by 44 per cent of Canadians, and distrusted by 22 per cent. Dan Arnold, chief strategy officer at Pollara, said the higher trust in broadcasters is partly because they also have higher consumption rates, whereas more respondents were unfamiliar with the print and online publications. “Things that people watch more often, they’re obviously going to have a higher level of trust in,” he told The Wire Report. Arnold suggested national newspapers have to compete for readership with local outlets, which is less so the case for TV networks. He also attributed the higher trust to the expansion of TV networks online, where you can watch a news video and read an article that accompanies it. Arnold further argued that young people who get their news online are less likely to associate it with a name, whereas TV “imprints” the brand on people. The only province where The Weather Network didn’t come out on top was in Quebec, where residents favoured Radio-Canada (79 per cent trust), TVA (78 per cent trust), followed by The Weather Network’s sister channel, MétéoMédia (71 per cent trust). According to Arnold, the difference is the byproduct of Quebec having a “very unique” media market. Quebec, he said, sees itself as a culturally isolated area, and views networks like Radio-Canada as a protector of language and culture. Arnold said this belief bleeds into politics, as well. While there was a 69-point trust gap for CBC between Liberal and Conservative voters, Arnold said the support for the network’s French arm extends across party lines. “The Conservatives have talked about defunding the CBC but not defunding Radio-Canada,” he said. “So I think it’s kind of common wisdom that Quebecers have a stronger connection to Rad-Can than English Canadians have to the CBC.” Gracing the bottom of the list for trustworthiness was Rebel News, which was equally trusted and distrusted by 22 per cent of respondents, Fox News, untrusted by 47 per cent of Canadians, and The Beaverton, a satirical news publication Arnold said was added “just for fun.” mcollins@thewirereport.ca

Broadcasters ranked as most trusted news sources in Canada, bulldozing print and online: survey

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By Maria Collins
|June 22, 2026

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Broadcasters ranked as most trusted news sources in Canada, bulldozing print and online: survey

Broadcast | By Maria Collins |June 22, 2026

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