Australians place growing trust in SBS News

SBS has been recognised as one of Australia’s most trusted news providers, ranking equal first in the 2026 Reuters Digital News Report.

Australians continue to place their trust in SBS’s independent, accurate and impartial journalism, with the latest Reuters Digital News Report finding that audience trust is at 66% (+7 ppts year-on-year), placing SBS equal first among Australian news organisations, alongside the ABC

The trust result comes as audiences increasingly turn to SBS News across digital and third-party platforms, with SBS News website page views increasing by 18% year-on-year¹ and third-party video views up 78% year-on-year².

According to the 2026 Reuters Digital News Report, almost half (49%) of Australians believe public service media has a positive effect on life in Australia (well above the global average of 36%). This increased to 68% among young adults aged 25-34.

The report also identified growing engagement with public service media among younger audiences, with usage increasing from 43% to 54% among 18–24 year-olds and from 47% to 51% among 25–34 year-olds from 2022 to 2026.

Respondents cited universal access, trustworthy news, diverse perspectives, high-quality journalism and news free from commercial or political influence as the main drivers of this support. SBS Managing Director, Jane Palfreyman, said these results demonstrate the importance of trusted journalism in an increasingly complex news environment.

“Trust is earned through rigorous reporting, editorial independence and a commitment to serving audiences with accuracy, impartiality and balance. This recognition reflects the dedication of SBS journalists and teams across the organisation who work every day to inform Australians, tell diverse stories and help audiences make sense of the issues shaping our world.”

As the public broadcaster for all Australians, SBS reaches audiences in more than 60 languages across television, digital, audio and third-party platforms, reporting on national and international events, as well as issues that matter to diverse communities.

SBS’s news offering includes SBS World News, Australia’s only television news service with a primarily global focus, and NITV News, Australia’s only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander television news service.

SBS Director of News, Mandi Wicks, said it is encouraging that younger audiences are turning to public service broadcasters, like SBS, for fact-based reporting.

“In an era where misinformation and disinformation can spread rapidly, trusted journalism has never been more important. Our role is to provide independent reporting, impartial analysis and a diversity of perspectives that help Australians stay informed and connected.”

The 2026 Reuters Digital News Report is part of a long-running international survey coordinated by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University. The News and Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra is the Australian partner institute. This year’s report looks into behaviours and attitudes towards trust, AI use in news, news influencers, and public service media. It can be accessed here.

For further information please contact:
Leah Boonthanom | [email protected] | 0411 860 741

For a PDF of this media release, click here.

¹Adobe Analytics (SBS Production), Page Views; Sprout Social, Video Views; July 2024 – May 2026.
²Adobe Analytics (SBS Production), Page Views; Sprout Social, Video Views; July 2024 – May 2026.