Poll: Americans really don’t trust the media
New numbers show the breach has reached record levels
By Jillian RayfieldTopics: Polling, Media, U.S. Politics, newspapers, Cable News, News, Politics News
Americans have a record lack of “trust and confidence” in the media, according to a new poll from Gallup.
The poll finds that 60 percent of those surveyed have “not very much” trust in the media, compared with 40 percent who said they had a great deal or a fair amount. The numbers have been steadily on the decline over the last 20 years, dragged down by Republicans and independents. The same poll shows that Democrats have more trust in the media than they did last year.
On the whole, the survey shows that 39 percent of people are paying “very close” attention to political news, up from 35 percent last year, but down from 43 percent during the last presidential race in 2008.
Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com. More Jillian Rayfield.
Related Stories
More Related Stories
-
American journalist likely being held by Syrian government
-
DNA on Boston explosive doesn't match Tsarnaev's widow
-
Blizzards in May. Wild fires. Is this global warming?
-
The real reason not to intervene in Syria
-
Fox News: Plan B "covers up rapes," is "boon for creepy uncles"
-
Dzhokhar's ex-fling speaks about his friendships
-
Cicadas prepare to invade by the billions
-
More people in U.S. die from suicide than car accidents
-
Gay French politician receives death threat over marriage announcement
-
Dow Jones crosses 15,000 for first time ever
-
Dow Jones soars following April jobs report
-
Jeffrey Goldberg's Qatari myopia
-
California wildfire burns 15-mile path to Pacific
-
Inside the kiddie gun market
-
UN: Gitmo force-feeding is inhumane
-
Must-see morning clip: Veterans still waiting for medical benefits
-
Jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 7.5 percent
-
Obama "comfortable with" FDA decision allowing girls 15 and up to buy Plan B
-
Hagel: Arming Syrian rebels is an option
-
How shoppers can help prevent Bangladesh-type disasters
-
Bangladesh official: Disaster is "not really serious"
Featured Slide Shows
The week in 10 pics
close X- Share on Twitter
- Share on Facebook
- Thumbnails
- Fullscreen
- 1 of 11
- Previous
- Next
-
This photo. President Barack Obama has a laugh during the unveiling of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Tx., Thursday. Former first lady Barbara Bush, who candidly admitted this week we've had enough Bushes in the White House, is unamused.
Reuters/Jason Reed -
Rescue workers converge Wednesday in Savar, Bangladesh, where the collapse of a garment building killed more than 300. Factory owners had ignored police orders to vacate the work site the day before.
AP/A.M. Ahad -
Police gather Wednesday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to honor campus officer Sean Collier, who was allegedly killed in a shootout with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects last week.
AP/Elise Amendola -
Police tape closes the site of a car bomb that targeted the French embassy in Libya Tuesday. The explosion wounded two French guards and caused extensive damage to Tripoli's upscale al-Andalus neighborhood.
AP/Abdul Majeed Forjani -
Protestors rage outside the residence of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday following the rape of a 5-year-old girl in New Delhi. The girl was allegedly kidnapped and tortured before being abandoned in a locked room for two days.
AP/Manish Swarup -
Clarksville, Mo., residents sit in a life boat Monday after a Mississippi River flooding, the 13th worst on record.
AP/Jeff Roberson -
Workers pause Wednesday for a memorial service at the site of the West, Tx., fertilizer plant explosion, which killed 14 people and left a crater more than 90 feet wide.
AP/The San Antonio Express-News, Tom Reel -
Aerial footage of the devastation following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in China's Sichuan province last Saturday. At least 180 people were killed and as many as 11,000 injured in the quake.
AP/Liu Yinghua -
On Wednesday, Hazmat-suited federal authorities search a martial arts studio in Tupelo, Miss., once operated by Everett Dutschke, the newest lead in the increasingly twisty ricin case. Last week, President Barack Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker, R.-Miss., and a Mississippi judge were each sent letters laced with the deadly poison.
AP/Rogelio V. Solis -
The lighting of Freedom Hall at the George W. Bush Presidential Center Thursday is celebrated with (what else but) red, white and blue fireworks.
AP/David J. Phillip -
Recent Slide Shows
-
The week in 10 pics
-
"Arrested Development" character posters
-
Photos of the Boston manhunt
-
Newspaper headlines covering the Boston explosion
-
- Share on Twitter
- Share on Facebook
- Thumbnails
- Fullscreen
- 1 of 11
- Previous
- Next
Related Videos
Most Read
-
71 names so awful New Zealand had to ban them
Kyle Kim, GlobalPost
-
"This could be a career ender for Michele Bachmann"
Alex Seitz-Wald
-
He made me his drug mule
Alix Wall
-
Ted Cruz will never be president
Joan Walsh
-
Claire Messud to Publishers Weekly: "What kind of question is that?"
David Daley
-
Pictures of people who mock me
Haley Morris-Cafiero
-
Is Michael Pollan a sexist pig?
Emily Matchar
-
Bush cancels Europe trip amid calls for his arrest
Justin Elliott
-
How conspiracists think
Sander van der Linden, Scientific American
-
Alex Jones: Conspiracy Inc.
Alex Seitz-Wald
Popular on Reddit
links from salon.com

76 points77 points78 points | 43 comments

49 points50 points51 points | 5 comments
From Around the Web
Presented by Scribol
- Eel smuggling suspects arrested
- US extends targeted sanctions against Myanmar
- Syria: Rebels target airport, 'dozens' of villagers executed by government forces
- Indonesia radicals rally for 'Myanmar jihad' after Jakarta bomb plot foiled (PHOTOS)
- WATCH LIVE: Obama talks immigration, collaboration from Mexico (VIDEO)



FBI Soliciting Benghazi Tips With New Arab Language Video
Joe Biden Loves John McCain
Biden Promises Better Protection For American Embassies

Comments
6 Comments