Interest in news continues to fall in Flanders

Nearly one in five people in Flanders say they have no interest in news, according to a new study by research group Imec-Smit-VUB. Ten years ago, only 4 per cent said the same.

The study also found that 66 per cent of people sometimes avoid the news, up from 48 per cent a decade ago.

Experts say people now face more competition for their attention, with apps such as Netflix and TikTok only a click away. They also believe years of crises and negative headlines have left many people feeling tired of the news.

Older people generally remain more interested in the news than younger generations. However, researchers found that people aged 18 to 24 are now more interested in news than those aged 25 to 34, which is an unusual trend. Experts suggest this may be linked to life changes: many people are starting families and building careers later in life.

Trust in news has also fallen, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic. Half of Flemish people say they do not trust AI chatbots, while trust in news on social media is also low.

Overall, 49 per cent of people in Flanders trust the news, compared with 28 per cent in French-speaking Belgium. The study also found that only 13 per cent of Flemish people pay for news, down slightly from last year. Researchers say people in Flanders are less willing to pay because news is widely available for free on television and radio.

^{#FlandersNewsService | A man reading a newspaper © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}