Amy Mitchell

Nearly three out of four U.S. adults say that, in general, it’s important for journalists to function as watchdogs over elected officials.

Concern is highest among people who follow political news most closely, older adults and those who display more knowledge about politics in general.

Americans who closely follow political news are more likely to have confidence that the public will accept election results. And that's true across party boundaries.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to have stopped discussing political and election news with someone: 50% vs. 41%, respectively.

Both Democrats and Republicans express far more distrust than trust of social media sites as sources for political and election news.

Many Democrats and Republicans hold divergent views of President Donald Trump's withholding of military aid to Ukraine. But in today’s fragmented news media environment, party identification may not be the only fault line.

As the U.S. enters a heated 2020 presidential election year, Republicans and Democrats place their trust in two nearly inverse news media environments.

An exploration of more than 50 Pew Research Center surveys confirms the overwhelming impact party identification has on Americans’ trust in the news media. And divides emerge within party – particularly the Republican Party – based on how strongly people approve of Trump.

Politicians viewed as major creators of it, but journalists seen as the ones who should fix it

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