By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-10-30 21:34:47 | Updated at 2024-10-30 23:25:48
1 hour ago
CV NEWS FEED // Americans’ trust in mass media’s ability to provide fair and accurate news fell to a record low of just 31% this year, according to new data from Gallup.
The previous record-low was measured in both 2016 and 2023, when 32% of Americans stated that they trusted mass media a “great deal” or “fair amount” to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly.”
According to Gallup, the 2024 findings mark the third consecutive year that “more U.S. adults have no trust at all in the media (36%) than trust it a great deal or fair amount.”
The first time Gallup asked the question of trust in the media was in 1972, when 68% said they had a great deal or fair amount of trust. Trust began to fall into the 50-55% range in the 1990s, heading into the 40-50% range in the 2000s. The first time trust fell into the 30-40% range was in 2016.
Gallup also found that respondents’ confidence in media accuracy and fairness varied by political party. Fifty-four percent of Democrats said they trust the media, compared to just 12% of Republicans. The trend in trust or distrust of the media depending on political parties has been constant since Gallup first began asking the question.
Gallup additionally noted that different ages have varying degrees in trust in the media. Those aged 65 or older were more likely to express great or fair amounts of trust (43%), compared to just 26% of those aged 18-29.
“Young Democrats trust the media far less than older Democrats do: 31% of Democrats aged 18 to 29 versus 74% of those aged 65 and older have a great deal or fair amount of confidence,” Gallup added.
Gallup compared trust in the “fourth estate” of mass media to trust in different aspects of the government, finding that media is the least trusted entity. Americans said they are more likely to trust their local governments (67%), state governments (55%), judicial branch (48%), and legislative branch (34%) than mass media.
