Niclas Berggren: The Rule of Law Predicts Trust in Journalists

What influences people’s trust in the media? It is not just the quality of journalism. A new international study titled “The Rule of Law Predicts Trust in Journalists,” published in the Journal of Law and Economics, shows that public trust in journalists is closely linked to the functioning of the rule of law.

Niclas Berggren participated in the research, collaborating with colleagues to analyze data from more than 230,000 respondents across 135 countries.

The research reveals that the better institutions function—such as independent courts, the enforceability of law, or the protection of property rights—the higher the public trust in the media tends to be.

💬 “People form expectations about others based on how rules operate within society. If the rules are fair and enforceable, there is a greater willingness to believe that others will behave honestly,” Berggren stated.

The study also suggests that some frequently discussed factors, such as the size of the state, the degree of economic regulation, or the mere existence of democracy, do not have as clear-cut an impact on trust in journalists as it might seem.

Other notable findings include:
🔹 Political polarization reduces trust in the media.
🔹 Greater freedom of speech does not automatically mean higher trust.
🔹 During the COVID-19 pandemic, trust in journalists grew more in countries with a stronger rule of law.

You can find the study >>> here <<< .