🚨Excited to share new findings from the @risj_oxford Trust in News project, using survey data in four countries including India! We look at trust in news sources, who is less trusting and why, and how politics affects media trust. Key findings from the Indian sample below 👇🧵

We asked respondents about trust in specific news brands. Republic TV receives the highest levels of distrust (14%); Republic also emerges as one of the most polarizing brands, trusted by 72% of BJP supporters but only 50% of all others

Levels of trust in the news are a function of how favorably people view political leaders. In India, those who are generally trusting of the news are significantly more likely to view Narendra Modi favorably (80%) relative to those who are untrusting (50%)

Dissatisfaction with the way democracy is working also drives trust in news. Those who are more untrusting of the media are also more likely to be dissatisfied with democracy in India (and the US and UK). Indian sample on average appears more satisfied w/ democracy overall

In all 4 countries but especially India and Brazil, respondents want to know about journalists' political leanings and affiliations. In India, 1 in 3 people also want to know about journalists' gender, religion, and caste

In India, respondents say they use heuristics (or shortcuts) to evaluate news more than in other countries, such as relying on friends and family, numbers and graphs, or a news source's grammar

Finally, in all countries people hold pretty negative views about how journalists do their jobs. 41% in India think journalists try to manipulate audiences; 38% think they try to intentionally provoke the public

Ending with a small note on sampling. The India sample had 2015 respondents. Survey was taken online, but we also recruited through phone and WhatsApp to reach those in smaller towns. Survey was offered in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bangla, and Kannada

Our report based on these findings and more is now live: This work would not be possible without collaborators as amazing as @BenjaminToff , @amyross87 , @camilambpp , @richrdfletcher , @rasmus_kleis . We welcome questions, comments, and feedback!

@KhariBiskut I once asked a local journalist to highlight the road situation in my village. He took ₹500 and on the next day he published it as the story of another district. When i confronted him, he cited politician's + thekedaar's pressure Any data point for this kind of corruption.