A recent Gallup poll revealed that trust in mass media among Americans continues to be at an all-time low.
According to the survey, for the third year in a row more US adults say they have no confidence in the media than those who express a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust. Only 31 percent of Americans reported confidence that the media “fully, accurately, and fairly,” reports the news, while 36 percent said they have no trust at all. Another 33 percent indicated they have “not very much” confidence.
Gallup has been measuring public trust in the media since 1972 and consistently since 1997. In the 1970s, trust ranged between 68 percent and 72 percent. Although it declined in the 1990s and early 2000s, it remained above the majority mark, ranging from 51 percent to 55 percent. Today’s figures, however, reflect an all-time low in confidence.
The poll highlighted stark partisan divides in media trust. 54 percent of left-leaning respondents expressed a “great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence in the media, compared to 27 percent of independents and just 12 percent of those on the right.
Age also played a significant role in media trust. Among Americans aged 65 and older, 43 percent said they trusted the media, compared to just 26 percent of those under 50, creating a 17-point gap. Even within the left-leaning demographic, a large disparity exists based on age, with only 31 percent of those aged 18 to 29 trusting the media, compared to 74 percent of those aged 65 and older.
The decline in media trust comes at a time when many Americans are turning to alternative sources, such as social media, for news. Additionally, there is a continuing sentiment that mass media outlets are biased toward left-wing perspectives, reinforcing the view that they prioritize ideological narratives over objective reporting.
