Newly published data compiled for RTÉ has revealed that by the end of 2024, just 40% of the public considered RTÉ overall to be “trustworthy”, while 81% believed that the broadcaster is “valuable to Irish society”, reports RTE.
The figures were released under the Freedom of Information Act to Dr Mark Cullinane, a post-doctoral sociologist currently writing a book on public service media in Ireland.
According to Dr Cullinane, the significant difference between the two metrics reflects the public’s nuanced perspective on RTÉ’s strengths and shortcomings, reports RTE.
This view aligns with other recent findings, including those in the Digital News Report Ireland 2024. That study found trust in RTÉ News and Current Affairs increased by 1% from 2023, reaching 72%. This placed it alongside the Irish Times as the joint most trusted media outlet in the country.
The FOI data shows how both public trust and the perceived societal value of RTÉ shifted throughout 2024, reports RTE.
In a letter dated 13 January accompanying the data release, RTÉ stated the information was being shared “in the spirit of openness and transparency”.
In the second quarter of 2024, 69% of those surveyed felt RTÉ was valuable to society. That figure rose sharply by the end of the year, reaching 81%, reports RTE.
Meanwhile, public trust in RTÉ overall was lower. In Q2 2024, only 37% of respondents said they trusted the broadcaster. That number climbed to 45% in Q3 but dropped back to 40% in Q4.
Dr Cullinane said his interest in the ‘trust’ and ‘value to society’ measures relates to key performance goals set by RTÉ itself, reports RTE.
As part of its 2024 strategic reset, RTÉ aimed to increase public perception of its value to society to 77% and its trustworthiness to 52%.
Commenting on the results, Dr Cullinane described the trust figure as a “headline finding”, noting that “a recovery in organisational trust since the crisis of 2023 has stalled at what is arguably a dangerously low level”.
However, he highlighted that public perception of RTÉ’s societal value has been “far more resilient across 2023 and 2024”, reaching a two-year high of 81% by the end of last year, reports RTE.
Responding to the findings, RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst said: “It is an absolute focus for me and the leadership team to rebuild public trust in RTÉ and demonstrate to our audience the substantial changes we have made to the organisation. 40% is not good enough.”
He added: “However, I remain pleased to see the much higher trust levels for our News and Current Affairs and the overwhelming recognition of RTÉ’s role in Irish society,” reports RTE.
Mr Bakhurst also drew attention to “the distinction between trust in RTÉ, the organisation – and trust in RTÉ’s News and Current Affairs content where the scores remain high.”
According to RTÉ’s 2023 Annual Report, 70% of Irish adults agreed RTÉ provides trusted News and Current Affairs, while 72% agreed it stimulates national debate and conversation.
RTÉ also noted that despite negative publicity impacting its corporate image in 2023, audience engagement did not decline. Instead, TV, radio, and RTÉ Player platforms all experienced growth over the past year, reports RTE.
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