Local radio is one of the most trusted news sources in Ireland, according to the Digital News Report Ireland 2025, published today by Coimisiún na Meán.
The report, now in its eleventh year, shows that 72% of people in Ireland trust local radio news – the same level of trust given to RTÉ News and ahead of many other media platforms.
Interest in news remains high across the country. More than half of Irish adults (56%) say they are extremely or very interested in news, a higher rate than the UK (39%), the US (51%), and the European average (45%).
Radio remains a key source of news, with 36% saying they used it for news in the last week. One in ten people in Ireland still rely on radio as their main source of news, significantly above the UK (8%) and well above the European average (7%).
The research was carried out by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, with Irish data analysed by DCU’s Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo).
Local newspapers also performed strongly in the trust rankings, with 71% of Irish people rating them as trustworthy. Other trusted outlets included the Irish Times (70%), BBC News (70%), and Today FM and Newstalk (66%).
Rónán Ó Domhnaill of Coimisiún na Meán said the findings reflect a healthy interest in reliable information. “We are heartened to see the continuing trend of the Irish public’s unique and longstanding relationship with radio, which remains a cornerstone of Ireland’s media landscape,” he said.
FuJo’s Dr Eileen Culloty said that public trust in local media remains high, but warned that “trust alone doesn’t pay salaries or sustain newsrooms,” highlighting the need for continued support.
Earlier this year, Coimisiún na Meán announced €5.7 million in funding for local democracy and court reporting schemes. These have supported over 100 journalism roles so far. A second round of funding is expected later this year.
The full report is available at Coimisiún na Meán.