• Young people and social media users are the most critical of current events, while those over 35 tend to have a evaluation positive evaluation

• Between 30% and 50% of the audience with a high level of interest in and trust in the news views the coverage of the six topics in the diary positively, in contrast to those who avoid the news

In 2025, 55% of the Spanish audience highlighted the media’s contribution to fostering understanding and democratic participation. Journalistic values remain the backbone of news selection, but in the digital age, they must coexist with the logic of platforms, algorithms, and the visibility of content creators. Audiences’ perceptions of how the media covers certain topics may vary depending on the information available their ability to verify sources. To assess the extent to which public expectations align with the information provided on relevant topics, this year’s survey collects assessments on six key issues: climate change, inflation and the cost of living, U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, the conflict in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and migration.

Despite significant international changes, the public considers impartiality to be a key factor, although this does not mean that people are satisfied with the way major news stories are covered. It is worth noting the high percentage of respondents who have not formed an opinion about the media’s work and who consider work good nor bad (more than 30% in all cases). This lack of judgment is most pronounced on issues such as climate change and international conflicts (Ukraine and the Middle East). These data that the media are fulfilling their mission statement , but that they do not fully meet all public expectations. 

The issues that generate the most dissatisfaction with the media are those that spark controversy and uncertainty. Thus, the most negative views are found on issues related to immigration (more than 40% consider management to be inadequate), the rising cost of living (38%), and climate change (36%). In contrast, perceptions tend to be more positive on topics related to politics and international conflicts. Coverage of Donald Trump’s second term has been well-received by 30% of the public, as has coverage of the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, with more than 20% expressing approval.

Ideological Polarization and News Engagement

As has been observed, the evaluation media performance on issues of social impact (migration and climate change) differs from that on international issues linked to geopolitics, where journalistic work is rated more highly. In the analysis of news values, it is observed that events related to proximity (geographical or cultural) and national relevance generate greater unease. These events may reflect widespread discontent and increase polarization and ideological bias. Therefore, it is advisable to analyze their impact in terms of political ideology and other sociodemographic variables.

As sample table sample , there is a significant ideological divide, as people on the right of the ideological spectrum view exhibition more unfavorably than those on the left. Furthermore, the issues that generate the greatest polarization are immigration, the rising cost of living, and climate change. Only in a few specific cases, such as the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s presidency, sample the left-wing sector sample slightly evaluation .

For some, news coverage does not meet expected journalistic standards. On issues that are closer to home and receive more attention, such as immigration, the perception tends to be more critical. This points to a level of dissatisfaction that could influence the audience’s perspective and the bias with which they interpret the news. Given that these issues often combine high public sensitivity with emotional dimensions, the public’s subjective view could be influenced by their staff context.

When analyzing the distribution of these perceptions by the respondents’ gender and age, significant differences emerge. First, it is important to note that, across all topics analyzed, men’s perceptions are more negative than women’s, with evaluation ranging from 50% for news about migration to 30% for conflict coverage. For their part, female respondents sample neutral perspective regarding the reporting carried out by journalists. Regarding the evaluation Donald Trump’s presidency, there is a 35% parity between men and women. It should be noted that this topic broader issues that have drawn attention, such as those related to border control, institutional tensions, and changes in foreign policy—particularly regarding China, NATO, and trade measures.

The analysis by age shows a more critical response among young people (under 35). The most notable finding is that nearly 50% believe the media’s coverage of migration could be improved. In contrast, people over 35 tend to hold a more favorable or neutral perspective, especially on political issues and global conflicts. This generational gap suggests that perceptions of the quality of news coverage vary depending on age group and topics of interest.

Perceptions of News Coverage by Favorite Media subject

The public’s judgment of journalistic work is closely linked to subject news sources that users consult most frequently. The integration of digital channels reveals a critical polarization in audience perception. Among users who get their news from traditional media, varying levels of dissatisfaction are evident, and the issue of immigration is rated most negatively by newspaper and radio audiences. Once again, critical perspectives are less prevalent in coverage of international politics and conflict-related topics, which are better received by television audiences. In contrast, those who turn to social media express a more negative opinion. Issues of high social tension, such as immigration (-41%), the conflict in the Middle East (-30%), and climate change (-29%), have the lowest approval ratings, suggesting a perception of information overload, misinformation, or a lack of rigor in the content consumed through these channels.

Perceptions of News Coverage, News Avoidance, and News Consumption

per diem expenses may vary depending on Username, as well as one’s perception of the facts. As sample report history sample , information avoidance has taken various forms. One of the most notable is related to emotional issues and reflects how the negativity of certain news stories can affect one’s mood. Added to this are information overload and a lack of willingness to stay informed about matters of public interest.

It is worth comparing those who admit to actively avoiding current events (they do not regularly consume news content) with those who are highly engaged (they are never or rarely uninformed). As can be seen, respondents who are accustomed to consuming news view journalistic work more positively than those who avoid it. Nearly 40% believe that journalism’s coverage of international politics (Donald Trump’s second term) was satisfactory. Likewise, about 30% of informed users also rate the work the war in Ukraine, inflation, and the conflict in the Middle East positively. In contrast, they are more critical of coverage on climate change; nearly 40% believe that reporting on this topic improved.

People who avoid the news tend to be the most skeptical about the quality of media coverage. Migration is the topic rated topic by both news avoiders and news consumers (45%). In all other cases, criticism or accusations of poor management for approximately 30%, rising to 40% when it comes to the rising cost of living. Finally, the percentage of people who do not have a defined opinion is higher when it comes to issues related to conflicts and international politics. As can be seen, most of these topics are closely interrelated. Their influence on daily life can be decisive when it comes to forming and justifying an opinion about the work and mission statement journalism.

Journalistic Perception, Interest, and Trust in the News

Having analyzed the most relevant characteristics of people who stay informed, it is worth examining how interest in and trust in information vary across different news consumption profiles.

In general, between 30% and 50% of the audience with the highest level of engagement with the news (high levels of trust and interest) rate the topics covered by journalists more highly. In addition, they place greater trust in information regarding Donald Trump’s presidency, the conflict in Ukraine, and rising living costs. For those with leave and high interest, a neutral perspective stands out on issues of climate change and coverage of the conflict in the Middle East (nearly 40%). 

The group expresses distrust of the media accounts for the majority of dissatisfaction with journalistic work. Thus, on issues that generate the greatest polarization (climate change, inflation, and migration), more than 40% of people consider the news coverage to be inadequate. In contrast, in the areas of politics and conflicts, more than 20% acknowledge that they have received good news coverage.

Finally, the group low engagement with the news (high levels of disinterest and distrust) is mostly neutral in its views (it considers the coverage to be neither good nor bad). The most critical views focus on issues such as the rising cost of living and immigration. Taken together, these results highlight the relevance of these issues in the diary and their ability to influence public perceptions and concerns.