A mistrust that is rooted
France-Soir and the association BonSens.org continue their series of sociological surveys with a third wave carried out on 27 and 28 March 2025 by MIS Group. After the polls in January and February 2025, which revealed a crisis of confidence in the management of Emmanuel Macron, the opacity on side effects of Covid-19 vaccines and a massive rejection of institutions, this new article explores how the French get their news information and what their fears are.
Alternative media is stealing the spotlight
53% of French people say they have abandoned the mainstream press, while 44% prefer alternative media compared to 42% for traditional sources.
This shift reflects a deep divide with established information channels that can be explained by the rise of platforms like X in 2025 (formerly Twitter). This rise in power was boosted by citizen journalists and independent influencers who denounced the biased coverage of social tensions (cancellation of elections in Romania, actions against the ZFE and against pension reform, failure of public accounts), and accelerated this shift towards alternatives.
A study by the Reuters Institute (Digital News Report 2023) showed that in France, trust in traditional media had fallen to 29%, one of the weakest in Europe, pushing citizens towards alternative sources like social networks.
Objectivity at half-mast: the traditional media decried
62 % of respondents consider that mainstream television media totally lacks objectivity, a finding shared by 43% concerning the print media (L’Express, Le Point, Le Parisien).
Yet the State has injected hundreds of millions of euros in aid and subsidies to guarantee « pluralism ». In 2023, according to the Court of Auditors, direct aid to the press amounted to around 120 million euros per year, not to mention tax exemptions and exceptional post-Covid support. Despite this, the population perceives a glaring lack of independence, which fuels mistrust. Faced with a budget of the State considered too heavy and with these inefficient aids, 50% of French people demand their total abolition, a stable trend on the three waves of investigation.
Many press articles (OJIM) Analyzed the « persistent scandal of press aid », which distributed millions of euros leading to numerous criticisms about the absence of counterparties to guarantee pluralism. Moreover, the Cour des Comptes (French Court of Audit) got angry in 2024 : « The aid to the press, direct or indirect, is the barrel of the Danaides and always for the benefit of the same » indicated Pierre Moscovici as president of the Court during his hearing before the Senate finance committee at the end of March 2024.
Media, amplifiers of fear?
84% of French people believe that the media exacerbates their fears, and 87% feel increasing anxiety related to news information.
For 79%, distinguishing the true from the false becomes an impossible mission, while 61% denounce a science manipulated by politicians and the media. Finally, 77% perceive lying as ubiquitous in politics, with no real sanction – unlike in the United States, where perjury is criminally reprehensible. This survey corroborates the study of INA (2021) on the media coverage of covid-19 which showed that the continuous news channels broadcast 70 % of anxiety-provoking content, contributing to an amplified perception of risks.
How the French get their news: between habit and contradiction
The French spend on average more than one hour a day informing themselves: 52 % spend an hour, 23 % several hours and only 6 % rarely (less than once every 4-5 days).
Television remains the dominant medium (56 % consult it daily), followed by smartphone (44 %), radio (35 %) and computer (29 %). Newsletters (46 % non-readers) and the paper press (39 %) are losing ground.
Paradoxically, although 62% criticize the absence of objectivity of the television media, a majority continues to watch them daily, sign of an addiction or a lack of perceived alternatives. According to the La Croix 2023 barometer, 55% of French people still used television as the main source of news, despite declining confidence (36 %), illustrating this historical dependence.
To get news, yes. But on what?
94 % seek to understand what is happening around us, 31 % want to enrich themselves intellectually via expert analyses, and 23 % look for topics of conversation.
On the content side, 58% favor short articles (2-5 minutes), 44% factual videos, 42% in-depth interviews, and 38% short social media formats. Investigation files (23 %) and books (14 %) appeal less, reflecting a preference for the instantaneous.
58 % favor audio (listened to by car or in motion), but 50 % also appreciate written analyses requiring more attention, revealing a generational gap between rapid information on the surface and a quest for more complete understanding.
In 2023, the Reuters Institute noted that 40% of French people prefer short formats online, a trend driven by those under 35 years of age, while older people remain attached to more traditional formats.
Checking the news: a task left pending
29% do not check the news, often due to lack of time. 33% rely on the opinion of experts or mainstream journalists, 20% on those of alternative media, and only 20% consult Wikipedia.
Fact-checkers, used by 6%, are abandoned in favor of the « community notes » (popularized on social networks). In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg reduced the usage of fact-checkers on Meta, favoring the collective intelligence in the face of criticism over their bias. And in addition in 2023 the Edelman study had shown that only 18% of French people trust journalists to verify the facts, explaining the low use of professional fact-checkers.
While 50% reject media subsidies, 57% do not want to fund the independent press either. Of the 43% willing to do so, 16% opt for a monthly subscription, 15% for digital magazines, and 17% for donations.
Citizen participation: a democracy in search of breath
40 % of the French support the financing of associations defending the general interest, and 28 % that of the independent press, sign of a will to reinvent direct democracy.
The fears of the French: the economy in mind
89% of the French fear economic degradation, 80% a rise in inequality, and 58% fear that they will no longer be able to provide for themselves. Only 48% feel protected by the measures of the State, undermined by a public debt deemed alarming. In 2025, the French debt exceeds 120% of GDP, according to IMF projections.
INSEE reported in 2023, an inflation of 4.9%, already fueling economic fears, a sentiment that seems to have been amplified in 2025 according to data from the’ survey.
On the climate, 74% are worried about the future despite 77% who call for a review of official policies. Scientific progress reassures 69%, but the health risks divide (48 % concerned, 47 % indifferent). Only 39% fear a new crisis like covid-19, although 51% criticize past management.
Comfort and pragmatism: the anchors of the French
80 % of French people find comfort in family and friends, and 76 % in solidarity. 54 % draw from spirituality a form of peace, sign of a pragmatism that contrasts with the political elites and their « faith in science » displayed during the covid crisis.
59% of French people assume they are qualified as conspiracy theorists on certain subjects, and 68% do not fear social rejection.
Finally, 79% of respondents fear misuse of their personal data. In 2023, a CSA study showed that 72% of French people were worried about personal data, a fear reinforced by digital surveillance scandals like Pegasus (Le Monde, 2021).
A torn but resilient France
This investigation reveals a fractured French society, where distrust of institutions and the media is reaching new heights.
Between economic fear, rejection of media manipulation and quest for authenticity, the French oscillate between disillusionment and pragmatism.
If the alternative media are gaining ground, the question of financing news remains unresolved, suggesting a major challenge for democracy. The Cevipof 2023 barometer indicated that only 26% of French people have confidence in their institutions, a historically low level that is consistent with the results of this survey. Alternative media and associations seem to be the real winners and pillars of French confidence.
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BonSens.org and France-Soir study analyzed by FranceSoir.fr on the situation in France, at the international level conducted on March 27-28, 2025 on a representative sample of the French population of 1,200 people. Quota method on the criteria of sex, age, socio-professional category and geographical distribution. The survey was carried out by MIS Group for the association Bonsens.org and the company Shopper Union France SAS which publishes and publishes the site www.francesoir.fr. All surveys have statistically significant margins of error, reduced in this case by the sample size of 1,200 people. Every person has the right to consult the notice provided for in article 3 of the law.
Source
Featured image source, TV news set:
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Published to The Liberty Beacon from EuropeReloaded.com
Source: TLB
