Quality journalism shields Swiss public from disinformation, study finds

A new study finds that using quality journalism helps protect people in Switzerland from disinformation, though a considerable number remain vulnerable. SRF interviewed Mark Eisenegger, co-director of the University of Zurich’s Research Center for the Public Sphere and Society (fög), about the findings.

“The Swiss population is neither defenseless nor immune,” Eisenegger said. He cited direct democracy as one source of resilience, but said the findings offered no grounds for reassurance. People who consume little or no journalism are significantly more vulnerable, and know less about issues relevant to democracy.

Respondents most often encountered disinformation on social media, followed by video platforms such as YouTube and then messaging apps. International conflicts and wars were the topics most commonly associated with it, with celebrity-related subjects in third place. Those included deepfakes of well-known people.

When checking whether information is accurate, respondents often turn to government websites. Journalistic fact-checks were not widely used, Eisenegger said, although people frequently named fact-checking websites when asked what more should be done to counter disinformation. He said journalism had room to improve in this area.

Traditional news media receive more trust than social media and search engines, with radio scoring particularly well. Eisenegger said radio’s strong performance reflected its quality, including its professionalism and accuracy, and noted that international studies also find high trust in radio where independent public broadcasting exists.

Eisenegger warned that cuts at SRG, alongside a lack of resources for private quality media, could weaken an important democratic safeguard. “Quality journalism in Switzerland is clearly a relevant factor for democracy,” he said.