Fewer Americans have confidence in newspapers, television, and other forms of mass media than ever before.
Twenty-eight percent of US adults report having a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust that mass media will report the news fully, accurately, and fairly, according to new Gallup polling, the first time that figure has fallen below 30%.
There’s a clear partisan divide, with far fewer Republicans expressing confidence in mass media (8%) than Democrats (51%) and independents (27%), though the latter two groups still express historically low trust.
The polling is the latest evidence that traditional journalism in the US is facing a moment of crisis, as President Donald Trump attacks outlets and reporters, and as Americans lose faith in legacy publications and flock to podcasts and other, newer forms of media.