Relationship Between News Media Trust and News Consumption of Mainstream and Non-Mainstream Sources

This national survey of U.S. adults examines how trust in specific types of news media predicts the consumption of different news sources. The findings reveal that the relationship between media trust and news consumption differs across media types. Trust in national news media is positively associated with both national and local news consumption, but trust in local news media predicts only local news consumption and is unrelated to national news use. In contrast, trust in online-only news organizations and social media news shared by influencers and non-news organizations is associated exclusively with the consumption of non-mainstream news sources. These findings suggest that media trust is complex with distinct forms of trust by news media type, shaping different patterns of news use rather than reflecting a generalized orientation toward news. By examining trust at the media-type level, this study offers a more nuanced understanding of how audiences navigate an increasingly diverse multiplatform news environment and provides theoretical and practical insights into the role of trust in contemporary news consumption.