BNT is still the most trusted media in Bulgaria

Bulgarian National Television (BNT) is the most trusted media in the country, a 2020 report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University shows.

The public service broadcasters Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) are less popular in terms of reaching the public than their commercial competitors, but remain most trusted for news, the report said.

The Institute's survey notes that overall trust in news has fallen by 7 points to 33% this year.

However, as many as 71% of viewers trust BNT's news.

In the column "Weekly reach of consumers" - Top brands, which include television, radio and print media, BNT ranks third, reaching 51% of viewers per week.

For online brands, BNT's site reaches 27% of users per week.

In the part for Bulgaria, this year's report also states that politicians have increased their influence on the media in recent years, and the links between television and other media range from shared business interests to direct ownership.

It is claimed that many news organizations in the country rely on funding from pro-government oligarchs or foreign foundations, which is a reason for reducing the independence and trust of Bulgarians.

Television remains an important source of news in Bulgaria, with many of the main channels now owned by businessmen with political connections, the report said.

Independent media still operate in print or online, and the use of social media news is among the highest in Europe, according to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

For another year in a row, BNT is seen as the most trusted media organisation, which becomes clear from previous reports.

the full text of the 2020 report is available here.