A Pew Research Center study indicates that Americans’ trust of the media is the lowest it’s been since at least 1985, the first year that the study took readings. What role has the rise of the Web played in this trend? Instead of a handful of trusted national dailies and a few TV stations, news consumers now have a wider variety of sources — and many more outlets for media criticism.
The graph that accompanies a Pew Research Center survey on media credibility released Monday shows blue lines heading south: Now just 29 percent of Americans surveyed believe the media gets the facts right, and a scant 18 percent think news organizations are truly objective.
While “Public Evaluations of the News Media, 1985-2009” does not focus on technology’s impact on media, those downward trends may intersect with rising chart lines for the use of Web sites and blogs as news sources. Along with that comes better access to information for pointing out journalists’ errors and overall critiques of the media.
Another obstacle for mainstream media: After years of conservatives and Republicans leading the press attack pack in terms of accuracy and bias, now the other side of the political aisle is joining that chorus. Pew results show 59 percent of Democrats now think that press reports are often inaccurate, and 67 percent say the media chooses sides on issues more often than not.
If that is also the graph of American’s Tolerance for being told they aren’t No 1, aren’t the Lord’s Chosen People, can’t live on credit forever, does that mean anything?
I only trust what I read on DU, especially the comedic stylings of Bobbo, Dallas, Awake, Ah_Yea, and all the other ‘true thinkers’.
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!
It’s just evolution, baby… Adapt or die!
I’m back! the Beale could not stay off from this one.
I think DU is getting the facts wrong on this story.
“18 percent think news organizations are truly objective” This has to be high with only 14 percent of U.S. adults are functionally illiterate. What’s up with that 4%. This smells of a Fox story.
Fairness Doctrine any one? Look at the drop after 87.
What are you talking about? The United States of America have the best politicians and media corporations you can buy. The truth is was you pay for, apparently.
Fortunately they started telling the truth around 2001 briefly. Ha!
“our credibility stinks, blame the internets”
– MSM
“Pew results show 59 percent of Democrats now think that press reports are often inaccurate, and 67 percent say the media chooses sides on issues more often than not.”
Must have finally wised up to Keith Olbermann.
Olbermann is not the press. As an opinion journalist/commentator I would not want to live in the same trailer park as anyone who took time to figure out that Olbermann took a position.
Hah, hah. If you label a site as “This is Satire” the Repugs think it is the truth. If you don’t label a site, they think is is supposed to be straight news like Limbaugh gives.
Ah Yea==you run with a pretty stupid crowd. How do you avoid tripping?
“I would not want to live in the same trailer park as anyone who took time to figure out that Olbermann took a position.”
LOL!!
How do I avoid tripping? I watch my step, very very carefully.
Sometimes even a stinking pile of crap has a diamond in it.
Well, generally you can always assume: “If it’s in the news, it’s probably not true”. Well, maybe not as dogmatic as that, but in truth, traditional journalism is dead. When someone like Christophet Hitchens, a great journalist, has to write in Vanity Fair.. something’s wrong.
All communication has bias, it’s impossible for it not to. Even a detailed description of an ongoing event is described from the perception of someone. Oh sure when I was 10 years old watching Walter Cronkite on the News, I was certain that it was gospel. Luckily children grow up and they learn to doubt.
New York Times didn’t mention the Van Jones story until after he resigned. Media mentions of the Census dropping ACORN don’t bother mentioning the story that this blog put up twice.
If we are lucky this trend will push the traditional media off the map. Then everything will be biased as it is now but openly biased.
It’s all Craig’s List’s fault! Without the exorbitant classified ad income, all the newspapers started firing everybody who had a clue what they were doing. (The best and most senior are always the first to go, it seems…)
As for TV news — who knows? Might as well blame it on repeal of Glass-Steagall as any other single thing.