Terms such as "fake news" and "post-truth" may be new ones, but they aren't new concepts. In the past they were called lies.

And as these terms get used more often, it becomes harder to know what to believe, what to take with a pinch of salt and what to dismiss. Trust has become a rare commodity.

But for news you can trust, look no further than the paper you are holding in your hands.

Local newspapers are more trusted now than ever before.

A survey by YouGov in March showed that almost three-quarters of people trust the reporting in local papers, whether in the printed version or online. A survey the previous month showed that trust in them has risen sharply.

By contrast, only around a fifth of the population trust what they find on social media.

It is vital we retain that level of trust, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron points out.

"Any local paper lives and dies on its integrity," he says. "If people don't trust a newspaper, it's the end of it.

"If they do trust it, it will do as well as the CN Group papers do and will continue to."

And local newspaper reporting will always be very different from what's on social media. Andy Warhol famously said that in the future everyone would be famous for 15 minutes. Mr Farron says: "The reality is that everyone is famous all the time now.

"Social media allows anyone a platform, but without the standards that apply to a printed local newspaper.

"If I needed surgery I would want a trained surgeon to do it. In the same way, I want to make sure that I read articles by trained journalists.

"We're making a big mistake if we consider all journalists and all reportage to be the same."

Besides, a lot of what is posted on social media aims to be divisive, he finds – another sharp difference with local newspapers.

"Papers are much more about uniting people, reminding us we are all from the same 'tribe'.

"For a variety of reasons, people are living more individual lives. Local papers can be a kind of glue that brings them together and gives them a common experience.

"People and events and institutions – schools, or the police, or youth groups – have a kind of cheerleader in a local newspaper. They can celebrate all the good things that are going on locally.

"It's journalism that's true to the community it's reporting on. It's not talking to people, it's talking with them."

Workington Town Council prides itself on the variety of events it lays on in its area all year round.

They're always well attended and covered by CN newspapers. Yet there is still a lot of ignorance – and a certain amount of cynicism – surrounding local councils, as Workington town clerk Chris Bagshaw finds.

Some people seen unaware of what they are, what they're for, or which council is responsible for which service.

To Mr Bagshaw local newspapers help rectify that.

"A vibrant local press is very important for the system of local democracy," he believes.

"It's a channel of communication between communities and councils, whether Cumbria County Council, Allerdale Borough Council or the smaller town and parish councils.

"It's an important part of the validation process. It reminds people that decisions are being made every day and money is being spent on their behalf."

And he values the coverage we provide for Workington Town Council's events.

"We've got our social media presence and we've got the time-honoured traditions of putting out leaflets and printing posters.

"The newspaper coverage is part of the mix. It's an accurate reflection of what people are doing."

Like Mr Farron, he feels that the emergence of new media means trustworthy local papers are more important than ever.

Anyone can post a view or a report on Facebook, however biased or misleading. "We look to the printed press and its websites for a more professional, informed view.

"We lose it at our peril."

Local papers also fill a gap that social media and local radio or TV can't fill – by reporting what would otherwise be overlooked.

Eveline Dugdale offers one small example. She has chaired Wigton and Solway Health Services League of Friends for 17 years now.

Until Friday the group was called Wigton Hospital League of Friends. People who want to make a charitable donations, for instance, need to know the precise name of the organisation they're helping.

Only the News & Star has space to publicise that.

"I can rely on you to put something in the paper, rather than have to go round all the doors telling everyone!" she says.

But there are more important benefits. Mrs Dugdale also chairs the joint group of leagues of friends for all the community hospitals in north Cumbria – comprising Alston, Brampton, Cockermouth, Keswick, Maryport and Penrith as well as Wigton.

"We feel stronger together," she explains. "They can't fob of us so easily if there's a large group of us."

And she trusts us to offer a fair account of their activities. "If we are having an argument with the Powers That Be, the paper can be very useful in getting our point across.

"If we don't agree with something we can put our case forward in the media."

Local papers will do that in a way that the rest of the media never could.

National papers rarely report on the fate of community hospitals, focusing instead on the national and international. Local TV and radio also pay less attention.

"You might do a 20-minute interview and they'll use two sentences. The papers cover everything far more fully."

That fuller coverage can prove valuable. Some community hospitals were under threat of closure but the league of friends have negotiated compromises. Some will remain with fewer beds or offer outpatient clinics.

"Wigton Hospital is losing its beds. But we've done a deal to have six beds in the residential home – so there will still be hospital beds in the town.

"I'm quite sure the newspaper coverage helped.

"We couldn't have got as far as we have without CN. I'm very grateful for that."

Health campaigners in other parts of the county have noticed the same. The We Need West Cumberland Hospital campaign group has trusted CN Group to get its message out.

"The importance of local press should not be underestimated," says Annette Robson of the group. "They're a link between people in power and groups such as ours, and provide a way for both parties to put their point of view to the wider public.

"The paper is playing a vital role enabling the public to be kept informed about important issues that could have a direct impact on their lives – in this case quite literally!"

And she agrees that this is something other media can't be relied on to do. "Far from being less important in this age of digital and social media, they are a means of getting stories out beyond our area."