Americans are more likely to say that the news media is hurting democracy and political divisiveness in the country than a positive one.
According to a recent survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, nearly three-quarters of American adults believe that the news media is escalating political polarization in this nation, and just under half say they have little to no faith in the media’s ability to report the news fairly and accurately.
The survey, conducted before Wednesday’s World Press Freedom Day, reveals that Americans are deeply concerned about disinformation and the media, politicians, and social media corporations’ role in disseminating it.
“The news riles people up,” said Democrat Barbara Jordan, 53, of Hutchinson, Kansas. Jordan claimed that rather than relying on what she sees on TV news, she now conducts web research. “Googling something and learning about it is better. I have more faith in the internet than I do in the TV.
Due to a distrust breakdown, many Americans may avoid traditional news outlets in favor of partisan echo chambers on social media and dubious websites. This would further exacerbate the polarization of the country.
Only 16% of Americans say they are very confident in the news media’s ability to report the news fully and fairly, even though a slight majority of Americans say they have some confidence in it. Forty-five percent of people claim to have very little to no enthusiasm.
The survey reveals the complex relationship that many Americans have with the media: the majority of respondents rate in-depth reporting as very helpful or extremely helpful for understanding the issues that are important to them, but they are more likely to admit that they frequently scan the headlines rather than read an in-depth investigative article.
Most respondents also believe that the media is doing at least a fair job of reporting the problems they care about, even though overall trust in the media is low.
Only 2 out of 10 people believe that the press is doing more to protect American democracy, compared to 4 out of 10 who believe the opposite. Another 4 in 10 people claim that neither applies.
According to Republican Joe Salegna of Long Island, New York, partisan news organizations and social media sites are to blame for the issue because they have conditioned many Americans to view one another as enemies.
Salegna, 50, told the AP, “I think it’s tearing our country apart. “I believe that it has significantly worsened since the 2016 election.”
Republicans have a less favorable opinion of the news media than Democrats do; 61% of Republicans believe that the media undermines democracy, compared to 23% of Democrats and 36% of independents who don’t lean one way or the other.
Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to agree that the news media contributes to political polarization, even though majorities of both parties share this view.
More Republicans now believe that the U.S. government and journalists’ political stances strongly influence the news.
Janis Fort was persuaded that the media could not be trusted due to coverage of recent presidential elections, the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrations against the killings of Black Americans by police, and other incidents.
According to her, viewers may not know who to believe because one channel will cover an issue that another ignores.
JOIN US ON WHAT'SAPP, TO GET INSTANT STATUS UPDATES AND BE IN THE KNOW.
CLICK HERE
