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Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook may be an increasing priority for media relations but they remain less trusted than newspapers, according to new research conducted by communications consultancy, Open Road and pollster, Populus.

The findings, revealed in the joint report entitled Influencing the Influencers, show that while opinion formers increasingly use social media to access breaking news quickly, its influence is often exaggerated.

Radio, TV and print newspapers remain the most popular way for opinion formers to consume news, according to the research.

Populus interviewed 232 opinion formers in April and May this year. More than 100 opinion formers were drawn from the Populus Opinion Former Network and 130 were drawn from the Populus Parliament Panel. The Populus Parliament Panel is weighted to be representative of the party make-up of the House of Commons. Researchers also interviewed 2047 adults in June 2011.

The research found more than 9 out of 10 of opinion formers obtain information from the radio every day, while less than 90 per cent of respondents get information from TV, and 86 per cent from newspapers. Less than a third of respondents use Twitter every day and nearly half of respondents don't use it at all.

A quarter of those asked said that they turn to social media for accessing information quickly. However, respondents were more likely to trust information once it had been verified by traditional media or a company's official website.

Opinion formers are more likely to respond immediately to something negative on a TV or radio programme than if it was on Facebook or Twitter. Nearly two thirds of the panel would respond immediately to something negative on national TV or radio news while just 21 per cent would take a social media story seriously.

The BBC tops the list as the most trusted media outlet in the UK with its eccentric business editor, Robert Peston, cited as the country's most trusted commentator on economic issues.

MPs elected post May 2010 are more likely to be digitally connected than those previously elected.

The research also highlighted a growing divide between traditional communicators and those who are digitally connected. Digitally connected communicators are more likely to trust online newspapers, Twitter and blogs and place a high value on speed when accessing information.

Open Road director Rebecca Reilly said: 'We often talk about the death of the newspaper and the growing influence of social media, but this research shows that it's still traditional media that win people's trust. Influencers consume radio most frequently, but trust national newspapers the most.

'Social media remains an important tool for reaching large audiences quickly and its influence continues to grow. However, we shouldn't overlook that, while nearly a third of opinion formers use social media every day, almost half aren't using it at all.'

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