Trust In News Organizations Is Falling, Pew Reports

• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Trust in news providers has fallen among people on both ends of the political spectrum, judging by a study from Pew Research. 

In general, 56% of U.S. consumers have at least some trust in the information they get from national news providers. But that is down 11% from March of this year, and 20% since Pew started asking this question in 2016. 

Of the Republicans surveyed, 44% now have at least some trust in national news media. However, that has fallen from 53% in March and 70% in 2016. 

In contrast, 69% of Democrats have at least some trust in reports from national news organizations. But this is down from 81% in March and is now at the lowest level recorded since the question was first asked.

Overall, 70% of Americans have some trust in coverage from local news organizations. But that, too, has fallen from 80% this past March and 82% in 2016.

Of those surveyed, 64% of Republicans have some trust in local news sources, but that has declined from 75% in March and 79% in 2016. Meanwhile, 78% of Democrats have a certain trust in information from local organizations, versus 87% earlier this year.

On an age basis, only half of readers under 50 have a lot of or some trust in the national news media. And 51% of those 51% trust national news organizations and 50% social media sites.

Older Americans are more trusting, especially Democrats.