The News business and news organizations have always played role in a democracy and in society. In the United States, realities are evolving with the perceptions towards news media. A detailed report published on September 11 by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's Trust, Media and Democracy Initiative, confirmed erosion in the news media.
According to the survey, adults living in the US were asked to disclose key factors that make them trust or not trust media outlets. In addition, for this representative poll, participants were asked open-ended questions, closed-ended importance ratings, etc.
The analysis included a noteworthy finding. Nine out of 10 Republicans confirmed they have lost trust in the news media in recent years. However, 69 percent of those who identified themselves as those who lost trust, said their confidence in the media can be restored.
Below, I will discuss more about the increasing lack of trust towards media organizations. Also, I examine why the disdain has grown especially in the last decade.
Accuracy and bias to describe news agencies
Respondents to this survey rated the importance of indicators when characterizing media. Among these indicators, accuracy and bias were among the most important. In addition, transparency emerged as another essential factor.
Americans are losing trust in the news media—but believe it can be restored. Read the latest findings from a new Knight & @GallupNews survey of U.S. adults: https://t.co/IGeT0h2Pup #knightcomm pic.twitter.com/N0oSnfK30e
— Knight Foundation (@knightfdn) September 11, 2018
Elsewhere, 71 percent of respondents said commitment to transparency is very important.
Also, there are expectations that organizations provide fact-checking resources, links to research and facts that support their reporting.
This is what happens when the so-called president and center of power in the U.S. deliberately, strategically, and relentlessly slams a wrecking ball against the walls of the Fourth Estate.
— Ben van Loon (@benvanloon) September 12, 2018
https://t.co/KQi4h37Xu0
Americans of different political affiliations lose trust - others remain unchanged
There has been a steady decline and a lack of confidence in the media.
Between 2003 and 2016, trust decreased from 54 percent to 32 percent. In 2017 trust loss increased to 41 percent.
Trust has been in a sharp decline in the last ten years. Exactly 69 percent of U.S adults in the survey said their trust in the news media decreased. In contrast, only four percent say trust has increased while 26 percent indicated trust has not changed.
Overwhelmingly, Republicans (94 percent) and conservatives (95 percent) said their trust in the media has decreased in the past decade.
As reported by Gallup poll, respondents on the extreme left are less likely to say they have lost trust in the media. However, supporters of Democrats and liberals are also less likely to say their trust in media organizations has not changed.
