Only less than 20 percent of British people said they trust newspapers, down from about three out of 10 last year. The figure was also below the global average, according to the report, the 10th annual Edelman Global Trust Barometer, published Tuesday, Press Gazette reported.

The study surveyed more than 4,500 college-educated adults who are interested in news. It found that those between ages 25 to 34 trust traditional media even more than those ages 35 to 64.

However, the UK's overall trust in the press media declined in the past year. Only 19 percent of UK respondents said they trust newspapers, down from 29 percent one year previously. The global average is 34 percent, Press Gazette reported.

Television, on the other hand, was trusted as a news source by one third, while radio was at 33 percent, down from 53 percent.

The Edelman report interviewed people by phone in 20 countries over a six-week period in November and December. In the United Kingdom, the level of trust in the media as an institution was the lowest, at 28 percent.

The countriy with the highest trust of the media were Indonesia, on 79 percent, followed by China, with 73 percent, Press Gazette reported.