Poll Highlight Declining Trust in News Media

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, November 19, 2024 | 10:33am CT

Stagwell The Harris Poll

Trust in news media continues to wane, yet Americans recognize its critical role in sustaining a healthy democracy, according to new polls by HarrisX and Harris Poll. Despite concerns over misinformation and bias, media consumption habits remain strong among a subset of the population identified as "news junkies."

A HarrisX survey reveals that 42% of Americans feel their trust in news media has declined, while only 15% see improvement and 43% report no change. Key drivers of this distrust include misinformation or fake news (57%), lack of separation between news and opinion content (46%), and sensationalism or bias (44%).

Despite these concerns, 78% of Americans prioritize following general news, with political (71%), economic (63%), international (63%), and healthcare news (59%) also drawing significant interest. Moreover, 56% believe younger generations should engage more with news to stay informed.

Trust in specific media sources varies. Local TV news leads with a trust level of 73%, followed by broadcast TV (67%), local newspapers (66%), and radio (65%). Social media ranks lowest at 41%.

The survey also sheds light on the habits of "news junkies," a group making up 25% of Americans. These individuals, primarily Gen X (64%) and college-educated (51%), consume an average of seven news articles daily and check the news 5.6 times per day. They are also more likely to view companies that advertise on news media favorably (74% compared to 66% of the general population).