Mainstream Media Takes Poll and Finds Out It’s the Problem
The mainstream media recently wrote about how dividend the American people are and how polarized the country is politically. They took a poll asking the public why there is such division. Guess what the Associated Press found out?
“Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults say the news media is increasing political polarization in this country, and just under half say they have little to no trust in the media’s ability to report the news fairly and accurately, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
The poll, released before World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, shows Americans have significant concerns about misinformation — and the role played by the media itself along with politicians and social media companies in spreading it — but that many are also concerned about growing threats to journalists’ safety.
Concern about the threat posed by misinformation unites Americans of both parties, with about 9 in 10 U.S. adults saying misinformation is a problem. A third of American adults say they see stories with false claims from politicians or misleading headlines every day.”
The mainstream media’s focus on negative news is also leading to a decline in trust in institutions. A study by the Knight Foundation found that only 22% of Americans trust the media to report the news fairly and accurately. This is a decline from 72% in 1972.
The decline in trust in institutions is a major problem because it makes it more difficult to solve problems. When people don’t trust each other, they are less likely to cooperate. This is leading to a gridlock in government and a decline in the quality of life for all Americans.
The mainstream media is a powerful force that is shaping our society. It is important to be aware of its biases and to be critical of the information that it presents. We need to demand more from the media and hold it accountable for its reporting. Only then can we hope to heal the divisions in our country and create a more just and equitable society.
