Most say journalists should be watchdogs, but views of how well they fill this role vary by party, media diet
Nearly three out of four U.S. adults say that, in general, it’s important for journalists to function as watchdogs over elected officials.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Nearly three out of four U.S. adults say that, in general, it’s important for journalists to function as watchdogs over elected officials.
France stands out from other Western European countries for its broad discontent toward the news media. About a third of adults say they trust the news media, including just 4% who say they have a lot of trust
Politicians viewed as major creators of it, but journalists seen as the ones who should fix it
The politically aware, digitally savvy and those more trusting of the news media fare better in differentiating factual statements from opinions.
Just 5% of more than 3,000 news stories from the first 100 days of the Trump presidency cited a member of the public.
A global median of 75% want their news media to be unbiased when covering political issues, yet many say the news media do a poor job of reporting on political issues fairly.
News remains an important part of public life. But Americans are cautious as they move into today’s more complex news environment and discerning in their evaluation of available news sources.
About nine-in-ten Americans learn about the election in a given week. But they are divided on what type of news source – from television to digital to radio to print – they find most helpful.
Using data from our latest media survey, we look at different ways to measure public trust of news organizations.
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