China's media is the most trusted around the world

Main Points

• China leads the world in public trust in media
• Developing economies report higher media trust than richer nations
• Kenya and Nigeria rank among the world's most trusting media audiences

China has the world's highest level of trust in media, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, with a media trust score of 81, ahead of Indonesia (76) and the United Arab Emirates (74). The findings underline a widening divide between developing and developed economies in public confidence in news institutions.

The annual survey, conducted by the Edelman Trust Institute, measures trust in four major institutions: government, business, media and NGOs. The media score reflects the percentage of respondents who said they trust media to "do what is right," based on a nine-point scale and reported as the share selecting the top four levels of trust. The 2026 edition surveyed 33,938 respondents across 28 countries between October and November 2025.

China retained its position as the highest-trusting market for media with 81 points, reinforcing a long-running trend in Edelman's surveys. Indonesia ranked second with 76, while the United Arab Emirates followed with 74.

Among African countries included in the survey, Kenya and Nigeria both scored 70, placing them among the world's most trusting populations when it comes to media. Thailand recorded 67, Saudi Arabia 66, and India 65, with every country on the list remaining above the global threshold Edelman classifies as "trust" rather than neutrality or distrust.

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The 2026 report shows that developing markets generally report substantially higher institutional trust than developed economies. Edelman found that developing countries averaged a Trust Index score of 66, compared with 49 across developed countries.

The report argues that growing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and social fragmentation have encouraged people to place greater confidence in familiar domestic institutions, including national media. At the same time, respondents in many advanced economies expressed increasing scepticism toward institutions and information sources.

Edelman says trust remains one of the strongest predictors of whether citizens believe information, engage with public institutions and support businesses. The report also found that business continues to be viewed as the world's most trusted institution overall, while media trust varies significantly between countries depending on political, economic and social conditions.