American trust in media drops to 2nd-lowest point on record
American's trust in the media to "report the news fully accurately and fairly" slid four percentage points since last year, pushing this year's reading down to its lowest level since 2016 and its second-lowest point on record, reports Gallup.
Just 36 percent of U.S. adults say they have "a great deal" — 7 percent — or "a fair amount" — 29 percent — of confidence in newspaper, television, and radio news reporting, just 4 points above 2016's record low of 32 percent.
Following the bottoming out in 2016, trust in the media "rebounded" 13 points in two years, writes Gallup, mostly due to "a surge among Democrats" amid former President Donald Trump's administration and the resulting media scrutiny. But since 2018, that number "has fallen a total of nine points, as trust has slid among all party groups."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Notably, media trust has about halved since the Nixon era, writes Axios per Gallup's polling — between 1972 and 1976, 68 percent to 72 percent of Americans expressed confidence in mass media, as opposed to today's 36 percent.
Gallup surveyed 1,005 adults between Sept. 1-17, 2021. Results have a margin of error of 4 percentage points. See more results at Gallup.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 19, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - junk food, health drinks, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Band Aid 40: time to change the tune?
In the Spotlight Band Aid's massively popular 1984 hit raised around £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia and the charity has generated over £140m in total
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Starmer vs the farmers: who will win?
Today's Big Question As farmers and rural groups descend on Westminster to protest at tax changes, parallels have been drawn with the miners' strike 40 years ago
By The Week UK Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate GOP selects Thune, House GOP keeps Johnson
Speed Read John Thune will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader, and Mike Johnson will remain House speaker in Congress
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump tests GOP loyalty with Gaetz, Gabbard picks
Speed Read He named Matt Gaetz as his pick for attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Both have little experience in their proposed jurisdictions.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pentagon Discord leaker gets 15 years in prison
Speed Read Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guard member, leaked classified military documents
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Saudi crown prince slams Israeli 'genocide' in Gaza
Speed Read Mohammed bin Salman has condemned Israel’s actions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump fills key slots, tapping Congress, MAGA loyalists
Speed Read The president-elect continues to fill his administration with new foreign policy, environment and immigration roles assigned
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published