If the rise of social media was one of the key stories of the previous two surveys, this year confirms that the trend has become firmly established.
For the second consecutive year, communication professionals ranked social media as the most important media channel for communicating on behalf of their organizations. News portals remain in second place, followed by television, print media, and radio.
A look back at 2024 is particularly revealing. At that time, communicators considered television the most important channel for organizational communication, while social media ranked only fourth. In just two years, social media have climbed to the very top.
This suggests that organizations increasingly prioritize speed, direct engagement with audiences, and the ability to adapt messages in real time. Social media are no longer merely a supporting channel; they are becoming a central communication tool.
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While social media dominate professional communication, an interesting shift has occurred in communicators’ personal media habits.
After two years of social media leading the ranking, communicators in 2026 devoted the most attention to news portals. Social media dropped to second place, followed by television, radio, and print.
This is one of the most notable findings of this year’s survey. While communication professionals increasingly use social media to reach their audiences, they appear to be turning to news portals when seeking information for themselves.
This shift reflects a broader trend identified by international studies: social media are becoming a space for quickly discovering and following content, while users still rely on professional news organizations for more in-depth information and fact-checking.
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One of the most important parts of the survey continues to be the question of trust.
This year, communication professionals once again placed the greatest trust in well-established media brands. The most frequently mentioned were RTV Slovenia, Delo, and Val 202.
When all references to RTV Slovenia and its various platforms and channels are combined, the public broadcaster remains one of the strongest and most trusted media institutions among communication professionals.
The findings show that although communicators operate in an increasingly digital environment, they still verify information through media outlets with clear editorial standards and long-standing journalistic traditions.
International research supports these conclusions. Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report has consistently found that people frequently use social media to discover content, but continue to rely on professional news organizations for verified information. Similarly, the Edelman Trust Barometer highlights the growing importance of information credibility in an era of information overload and rapidly spreading content.
Looking at the results across all three years, the picture is becoming increasingly clear.
Communication professionals are using social media more and more in their work, while turning increasingly to news portals to stay informed. At the same time, trust remains strongly associated with traditional, editorially managed media.
This suggests that modern communication is built on two seemingly opposing principles: on the one hand, it requires the speed, reach, and immediacy of digital channels; on the other, it depends on the credibility and reliability of verified information.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest challenges facing communicators today: how to maintain trust and credibility in an environment that rewards speed, reach, and instant responses.
You can view the full survey report here.
The survey included 143 respondents who completed the questionnaire in full. It was conducted as part of the Slovenian Conference on Public Relations (SKOJ). Following the conference, data collection was extended by an additional week, during which participation was promoted through Kliping’s social media channels and newsletter.
Most respondents work in public relations, communications, or marketing. The sample was dominated by members of Generation X and the Millennial generation.
The results were compared with findings from surveys conducted in 2024 and 2025. To ensure meaningful comparisons between years, differences in sample sizes were taken into account and the data were adjusted to a comparable basis.
