Where do South Africans get their news and do they believe it to be trustworthy? This question takes on even greater significance in the context of a national lockdown to limit the spread of COVID-19. This policy brief, using insights from the 2019 South African Reconciliation Barometer survey, identifies that television and radio are the only media sources used regularly by a majority of South Africans and these sources are also the most trusted. Print newspapers are only consulted regularly by around a third of respondents, while more South Africans get their news from friends and family. Online news sources – online publications and social media pages – are the least used and least trusted sources of information. Young South Africans make use of a wider variety of media sources than older respondents, who rely heavily on television and radio. Government communication strategies and infomercials should prioritise television and radio broadcasts.
