Media Trust Opens the Door for Marketers to Make an Impact

KATZ STUDY REVEALS MEDIA PERCEPTIONS OF BLACK CONSUMERS

Black Americans are an influential consumer group with increasing impact on the economy, politics, and culture. Katz is commemorating Black History Month with some new insights on this dynamic cohort. By learning more about the media that resonates most with them, the door is opened for brands to make wiser investments and more meaningful connections within the influential Black marketplace.

To discover the media platforms that earn strong feelings of integrity among the Black community, Katz continued its series exploring consumer perceptions, this time focusing on Black Americans (previously released: Total U.S., Voters, and Hispanics). Katz surveyed more than 300 Black adults to ask how trustworthy they found the following sources of information: radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and social media. 

RADIO IS MOST TRUSTED MEDIA AMONG BLACK AMERICANS

8 in 10 consider radio to be very trustworthy, or trustworthy - solidifying radio's status as the most trusted media among Black consumers. Newspapers follow closely, while television and magazines see more of a gap. Television's trust level is 7 points lower than radio, while magazines suffer from a more significant trust deficit of 11 points. Social media, positioned in last place, is regarded as the least credible media type, with only 4 in 10 Black consumers expressing trust in it. Radio is trusted by nearly twice as many Black Americans, compared to social media. 

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BLACK AMERICAN TRUST MIRRORS TOTAL U.S. - WITH ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE

In general, Black Americans' trust in media mirrors that of the broader population, with radio being the most trustworthy. Television, newspapers, and magazines all maintain their rankings, though TV sees a +3 point boost compared to the average U.S. adult. The notable difference in Black American trust is with social media. While it remains firmly in last place, social media scores +13 points higher in trustworthiness among Black Americans than the average adult. However, even with this increased trust level, most Black consumers still do not trust social media.

RADIO DELIVERS HIGH IMPACT FOR BRANDS ENGAGING BLACK AMERICANS

If the medium is the message, then trust in the medium is crucial to messaging impact. Social media platforms, mistrusted by more than half of Black consumers, are cutting a brand's potential campaign impact in half. AM/FM radio delivers high reach and high trust among Black Americans, leading to high impact for brands engaging this consumer group. Radio, especially Urban formatted stations, allows brands to speak to Black consumers on brand safe, local, and authentic platforms to truly resonate with Black audiences.