According to polling company Gallup, Americans’ trust in mass media has dropped to a new low recently, with only 32 percent of U.S. adults expressing at least a fair amount of confidence in mass media to serve as an unbiased chronicler of current affairs.
Looking in more detail, Gallup reports that the level of trust in the media varies greatly depending on political preferences. While Republicans have traditionally viewed the media more critically than Democrats, both groups’ attitude towards mass media diverges particularly strongly this year. Just 14 percent of Republicans expressed their trust in the media, as many feel that Donald Trump is receiving an unfair amount of negative press. Meanwhile more than 50 percent of Democrats think that the media is doing a fair job.
