Polls

Pew Research - A majority of Americans (57%) express low confidence in journalists to act in the best interests of the public, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis from the Pew-Knight Initiative. This includes 40% who say they have not too much confidence and 17% who say they have none at all. By comparison, 43% of adults say they have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in journalists.

In our past surveys, the public has expressed less confidence in journalists than in several other institutions and professions, such as the military, scientists and police officers. Other survey questions have also found relatively low trust in news organizations.

We continue to find large differences by political party on this topic. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (61%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans and GOP leaners (25%) to say they have confidence in journalists to act in the best interests of the public.

Democrats are more confident than Republicans that journalists act in the best interests of the public