Trust and interest in news continue to fall in the Netherlands, report finds

Trust in news media and overall interest in news continue to decline among people in the Netherlands, according to the Digital News Report Netherlands 2026, published on Tuesday by the Dutch Media Authority (Commissariaat voor de Media).

The report finds that interest in, use of, and trust in news are all decreasing, across all age groups, with the sharpest decline among 18- to 34-year-olds. In 2018, 61 percent of people in the Netherlands said they had a high level of interest in news, compared with 45 percent in 2026.

At the same time, the group reporting no or very little interest in news grew significantly, from 4 percent in 2018 to 14 percent in 2026. The Digital News Report has been published annually since its first edition in 2018.

Amma Asante, chair of the Dutch Media Authority, calls the trend concerning. “The report is not only meant to be read, but also to prompt action. We need to stimulate trust, interest, and the use of news. This is a challenge for the news sector, the government, and for ourselves as well.”

Use of AI chatbots as a source of news has grown modestly compared with last year. At the same time, NOS continues to rank as the most trusted news provider, with ANP, RTL Nieuws, and regional newspapers following behind in the trust rankings.

The Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ) shares the concerns raised in the Digital News Report. “More and more people, especially those under 35, get their news via social media,” said general secretary Thomas Bruning. “As a result, access to news is increasingly in the hands of a small number of tech companies.”

He said that news organisations have been trying for years to engage younger audiences, but still cannot ensure their content reaches them. Algorithms largely determine what people do and do not see.”

Bruning says this is not only a distribution issue, but also an economic one. In his view, changes are needed in the short term. “The business model needs to become healthier, and it should become more rewarding for news organisations to produce journalism. In addition, there must be clear agreements with social media platforms about the distribution of journalistic content.”