LOCAL newspapers are the most trusted source for local news and information according to new research.

In print and online, press outlets like the Swindon Advertiser are trusted more than three times as much as social media platforms.

The research published by YouGov and commissioned by Local Media Works found that 74 per cent of respondents agreed that they trusted the news and information in their local newspaper.

This puts the press ahead of local commercial TV and local commercial radio (both 73 per cent), search engines (43 per cent), social media (22 per cent) and other websites (39 per cent).

Craig Nayman, Local Media Works chairman, said: “This survey provides yet more compelling evidence of a resurgence of trust in traditional media outlets, with local media leading the way, as the public become increasingly aware of the dangers associated with social platforms and fake news.

“In the current climate, trust is at a premium and advertisers large and small must recognise the clear advantages of partnering with local media in order to communicate with their audiences in a safe, trusted, and highly effective environment.”

The findings echo those of the recent Edelman Trust Barometer 2018 which found that trust in traditional media in the UK is at its highest level in six years while trust in social platforms has dropped to 24 per cent.