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Over half America doesn't trust the press

I trust Pravda. For a while there you had to go on UK sites to get info critical of the post 912 regime.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/06/press-trust-poll/
POLL: Over Half Of Americans Say They Do Not Trust The Press

A new Harris Interactive poll finds that over half of Americans — 54 percent — say they tend not to trust the press, “with only 30 percent tending to trust the press.” More Americans (41 percent) trust “Internet news and information sites” than they do the mainstream media. Radio tends to do best among Americans as 44 percent say they tend to trust it.
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The Harris results reflect the findings of a Harvard University study conducted last year, which found “nearly two-thirds of Americans do not trust campaign coverage by the news media.” A few other recent surveys offer some explanation for the public’s distrust:

– Two thirds of Americans - 67% - believe traditional journalism is out of touch with what Americans want from their news.

– The harshest indictments of the press come from the growing segment that relies on the internet as its main source for news. The internet news audience is particularly likely to criticize news organizations for their lack of empathy, their failure to “stand up for America,” and political bias.

– Democrats, Republicans and independents have decreased confidence in the accuracy of media reports on the war.

These days, the slogan “most trusted name in news” doesn’t mean as much as it once did.

created by charlatan on Mar 06, 2008 at 11:51:57 pm     Comments: 8

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Comments ... #

You trust Pravda? That is all about as bad as looking into the eyes of Putin and seeing a kindred spirit! Holy St. Petersburg! Actually I shouldn't laugh, I admit I have never read Pravda.I did send money to the Afghanistan Relief Committee back in the eighties hoping someone would kick the Communist aggressors out of there. Many people don't even know what that was all about.

posted by Bbcmjeep43 on Mar 07, 2008 at 11:15:12 pm     #



And this is news BECAUSE...? I haven't trusted the bastards (and that includes FOX, by the way) since at least the 80s.

posted by Darkseid on Mar 08, 2008 at 01:09:06 am     #



The Pravda comment was tongue in cheek. From what I understand, Pravda was so bad and lacking credibility that it was a running joke amongst the Russians.

There are still some people who will believe anything. I ask people where they hear stuff all the time, and it's from salespeople, random friends, etc. and usually unchecked by anything else.

So I'm guessing a good quarter of the population will believe anything, approve of anyone in office, etc. The other 75% are only slightly harder to fool. Or at least that's what my book on popular delusions tells me.

posted by charlatan on Mar 08, 2008 at 12:36:19 pm     #



This wont stop you from copy/pasting tho, will it?

posted by billy on Mar 08, 2008 at 01:57:45 pm     #



What's to trust? Investigative reporting died in the 1990s. What remains is HappyNews and other shilling for corporations (disguised as corporate news releases).

When people say "I don't trust the press", I can only challenge them to FIND the press. The Congress allowed major corporate mergers and buyouts, bringing America's press into the corporate fold almost completely. There is no Third Estate anymore except our pittance of activity in the blogs. Except for aberrations like Histroymike, we end up with a lot of rumor and anecdotes and opinion, but little in-depth information beyond what's commonly released. Real investigation is still missing from the equation of our Republic.

posted by GuestZero on Mar 08, 2008 at 03:55:41 pm     #



They are all just looking for the next watergate. If you cant make people feel what the object of the story is they aren't doing their jobs it seems. Gone are the days of reporting ALL the FACTS and let the viewer decide, no its color it this way or that to imply whatever the reporter or the service wants to convey. Reporting only negative aspects of something gives that something a negative aspect. Even the good stories have to have a evil doer anymore, cant be pur chance because we all know its BUSH's fault.

posted by Linecrosser on Mar 08, 2008 at 08:09:58 pm     #



Typical ignorance. And where do news radio stations actually get their news? The press. Most source their stories directly from the Associated Press.

-Dan

posted by photodan on Mar 09, 2008 at 07:36:22 pm     #



Thanks, Dan. Exactly what I was thinking. "News radio" comes, with few exceptions, in two forms: 1.) Talk radio, the hosts of which largely prick their veins daily just to see what opinion might bleed out next and 2.) Radio reports that involve reading directly from newspaper and wire news.

posted by jmleong on Mar 10, 2008 at 01:15:08 am     #