I’m frustrated when colleagues treat evening news as gospel, eagerly discussing 60 Minutes or Rachel Maddow’s take on events. After revelations like CBS’s edited Kamala Harris interview and plummeting cable news viewership, I’m stunned that anyone still trusts legacy media, especially people who otherwise seem rational.
A February Gallup poll reveals that 31% of Americans trust media outlets, with 33% expressing “not much” trust and 36% none at all. This is a sharp decline from the 1970s, when 72% trusted mass media. The poll highlights a partisan divide: 54% of Democrats, 27% of independents, and 12% of Republicans trust mainstream media. This gap reflects confirmation bias, where people gravitate toward sources aligning with their beliefs, complicating bipartisan cooperation as shared facts erode.
The poll notes that 88% of Republicans, 74% of independents, and 46% of Democrats have low trust in media, whereas only 12%, 27%, and 54%, respectively, trust it significantly. Without trusted media, establishing a common factual baseline is difficult, making discussions on policy, science, and public health contentious. Republicans’ distrust may stem from perceived liberal bias, while Democrats’ trust aligns with mainstream narratives. With two thirds of Americans skeptical, many turn to social media, podcasts, or independent outlets.
Alternative sources can empower grassroots voices but often lack editorial oversight, risking misinformation. A 2018 poll cited by The Hill found that 72% of Americans believe traditional outlets report “fake, false, or purposely misleading” news. The rise of “citizen journalists” creates a chaotic information landscape where credibility is hard to assess. The Gallup poll doesn’t explore whether distrust is justified by media practices like clickbait or selective reporting, but skepticism may reflect both rational critique and politically fueled narratives.
Low media trust threatens our republic. If people lack reliable information, they may disengage from civic processes like voting or become vulnerable to manipulative narratives from partisan or foreign actors. This could explain rising hostility toward some government officials such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Similarly, media coverage of recent U.S. presidents shows stark partisan contrasts, further eroding trust. The media ostensibly hold power to account. If the public dismisses media reports as untrustworthy, it reduces institutional oversight.
Distrust in national media doesn’t necessarily mean distrust in all journalism, but the Gallup poll’s broad framing might exaggerate the crisis. The poll may miss nuances, such as higher trust in local news, as noted in other studies. Distrust may be rational, driven by media errors, or emotional, fueled by political rhetoric.
Distrust also damages social cohesion. People may distrust peers who rely on different sources, leading to increased social tension. Table conversations become superficial, limited to topics like weather, sports, and entertainment, even while world-changing events are occurring.
Studies suggest that distrust is not just skepticism, but a belief that media intend to mislead, which can foster cynicism and alienation from public institutions. The Gallup poll’s trend of declining trust (from 68–72% in the 1970s to 31% in 2024) pressures media outlets to adapt. A 2022 Gallup poll noted record-low confidence in newspapers (16%) and television news (11%), signaling a crisis for traditional journalism.
Distrust has led to reduced media subscriptions and ad revenue, as audiences turn away from traditional outlets. This has led to layoffs, further limiting quality journalism. Legacy media outlets might respond by prioritizing transparency, objectivity, or local reporting to rebuild trust, but, sadly, they seem to promote sensationalism to capture attention, potentially worsening distrust.
It’s also worth noting large numbers of Americans who have recently switched political parties. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including candidate likability and media coverage.
The Gallup data show a 17-point trust gap between those over 65 (43%) and under 50 (26%), with younger Democrats particularly skeptical. Younger generations, immersed in social media, may drive a permanent shift from traditional media, reshaping news consumption. Seniors, reliant on television and newspapers, may resist this change. Overt media bias widens generational divides.
The poll’s age data suggest that distrust is not uniform, but it doesn’t clarify whether younger generations’ skepticism reflects critical thinking or susceptibility to alternative narratives. The rapidity with which new and sometimes harmful ideas and distrust spread through our society may also reflect social contagion. This may amplify distrust but doesn’t fully explain it, as trust has declined since the 1970s, predating such rhetoric. Media practices, like prioritizing clicks over depth, likely play a role but are underexplored in the poll.
The Gallup poll warns of deepening polarization, reliance on unverified sources, weakened democracy, strained social cohesion, and industry challenges. Addressing this requires media to prioritize objectivity and accuracy. However, given the leftward bias of legacy journalists, such a change would necessitate a move to the political right, something their base will not tolerate.
Citizens, meanwhile, must practice discretion in their choices of media outlets in order to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.
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