The present study examined the theme of information in more detail by surveying people's opinions on the credibility of different sources of information. The respondents had to assess fourteen communicators separately with regard to their perceived degree of reliability in matters related to electricity production alternatives and the associated environmental impacts, costs and risks.

The public opinion ranks communicators representing different parties of society and backgrounds in a relatively clear order. Energy researchers and research institutions are regarded the most reliable source of information (81% consider reliable and 8% unreliable). The Ministry of the Environment is clearly ranked number two (76%/16%). The third place taken by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and its energy department (63%/24%) reinforces the good position of authorities in the competition for credibility. The impression is finished off by the Energy Market Authority (52%/20%) with a little weaker but still positive figures [Figure 30.].

After this, the ranking includes other types of influence-makers. The credibility of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (52%/36%) is also notably extensive. Environmental and nature conservation organisations as a general category (48%/39%) fall slightly short of this, and the opinions become more polarised. Not all environmental organisations referred to by name are successful in the comparison: Greenpeace receives more distrust than trust (35%/48%). Maybe the organisation's campaigns have been too riotous for the conservative Finns.

The first representatives of the energy sector visible in the results are the nuclear power companies. Attitudes towards information distributed by them are quite divided (41%/45%). Assessments of energy companies/electricity producers in general (38%/49%) are more negative, as is the case with assessments of companies selling and distributing electricity (39%/49%). Within the energy sector, the least open criticism - and open confidence - is expressed towards non-governmental energy sector organisations (36%/26%). However, they suffer from a rather low degree of recognition (similar to the Energy Market Authority among authorities), which is indicated by high proportions of 'I don't know'.

The bottom of the credibility list is so even that no single party receives the 'Old Maid'. If the difference between the proportions of positive and negative assessments is used as a criterion, the weakest score (-15) is given to political decision-makers (the Government and leading politicians). The result is fairly well explained by the traditional anti-politics attitude of Finns. It is practically guaranteed that political bodies receive the last place every time the Finns' confidence in the operators of society is surveyed in any way (cf. for example Science Barometer 2004).

The category of the 'most susceptible' also includes Greenpeace (-13) and energy companies (-11). This indicates that the confidence figures for different parties are determined - in addition to their actual information actions - on the basis of their estimated independence. Clearly identified interests or an actual position as a party to an issue of social dispute create fundamental scepticism in the assessment. It can be assumed that similar reservations would be associated with the assessment of the objectivity of atheists vs. bishops in matters related to the church, etc.

Differences in the assessments by population group

A more detailed examination of the results indicates that gender is a significantly differentiating factor for the confidence figures. Women's confidence in information distributed by environmental organisations (all organisations included in the survey) is essentially stronger than men's. There is a similar difference with regard to the Ministry of the Environment and the EU environmental authorities. On the other hand, men have more confidence in information provided by nuclear power companies and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, for example. Significant age dependency is seen in assessments of the Ministry of the Environment, environmental organisations as a whole and the European Union. Young people are more confident in information provided by these parties.

Differences in accordance with one's opinion on nuclear power are even greater. The supporters of nuclear power are substantially more confident not only in the nuclear power companies, where the difference is enormous, but also in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, all the parties in the energy sector (energy companies, power utilities, organisations), the forest industry and the Energy Market Authority. Supporters even regard politicians as more reliable. On the other hand, anti-nuclear people show substantially greater confidence in information provided by various environmental organisations. Energy research institutions, researchers and the Ministry of the Environment enjoy widespread confidence among both groups.

Changes in the assessments 2001-2004

Because the series of questions was also included in the 2001 study, a comparison of the results can lead to conclusions on the changes in the credibility of parties. Generally speaking, these are not great. The basic form of the assessments has remained unchanged. In both measurements, the top of the reliability ranking includes the same parties in the same order. The bottom of the list has also remained relatively unchanged [Figure 31.].

The assessments are not totally equal, however. The most significant parties that have gained ground in the assessment are the Energy Market Authority and the nuclear power companies. (The change index indicating the magnitude of change is +16 for both.) Assessments on the EU environmental authorities and the national Government have changed almost as much towards the positive (both +14). Development towards the other direction is mostly observed for energy companies (-11) and the forest industry (-8). The difference associated with power distribution/sales companies is symptomatically similar (-5). Opinions on non-governmental environmental organisations have remained fairly unchanged, and any change has been towards the positive rather than the negative (Association for Nature Conservation 0, Greenpeace +2, organisations in general +4; [Figure 31b.].

Natural explanations can probably be found for the most significant changes. The recognition of the Energy Market Authority was quite weak at the time of the previous measurement, as the organisation had only operated under its new name only for a short time (formerly known as the Electricity Market Centre). Now the authority has accumulated more 'time of notice' and public visibility. The increased credibility of nuclear power companies can be linked to the increased acceptance of nuclear power. However, a partial change in the wording of the question must be taken into account in the interpretation. In place of the assessment subject 'nuclear power companies', the previous study referred to 'nuclear power companies, TVO that submitted a construction application'.