British politician Edmund Burke was reported to have said that there were three estates in Parliament, “but in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a fourth Estate more important far than them all.” The phrase ‘Fourth Estate’ now refers to the news media’s job as a government watchdog. News reporters have historically served an essential role in our democracy. People on both sides of the political aisle can agree that a lack of trust in the media is an issue. “Someone’s life could depend on my knowledge.” “I take nothing at face value, and I research everything,” she said. She also follows statistics and yearly trends. Wagoner, a nurse, focuses heavily on research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health and other prominent scientists and epidemiologists. We shouldn’t be bullied into believing a certain way, or ostracized and censored for having a differing view.” “We can make our own decisions, just give us the facts. “The seem political and very biased against many Americans, including myself, who just want the news,” Wagoner said. She gets her news from her locally owned news stations as well as One America News Network.Īs shown by polls and conversations with everyday Americans, many feel unheard and unrepresented by the media. “Some sources I feel are more reliable than others.” “I see news sources that contradict other news sources, all proclaiming they have the ‘inside story’ on something,” Meacham said. Meacham added that she only reads news from websites that show where their information is obtained. She prefers to research topics and discuss news with those knowledgeable about different subjects. “It seems money and power is a large factor in producing what is relayed to viewers as news,” Meacham said. Instead, she prefers local radio and TV for news. She doesn’t trust the mainstream media, mostly because of politics. Lisa Meacham, 63, lives in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and consumes news every day from a variety of sources. I stopped trusting the corporate news about a decade ago when they refused to investigate allegations made against President Obama about his birthplace and the people he associated with.” “I think the mainstream media, like FOX, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, etc., are corrupt and politicized, giving opinions and talking points instead of actual news. “I trust the local news, but not the mainstream media,” Wagoner said. Kelli Wagoner, 48, lives in Cadiz, Kentucky, and like many others who have lost faith in the mainstream news media, has difficulty choosing where to turn for information. As of December 2021, 60% of Americans responding to a Pew survey said they have little to no confidence that journalists act in the best interests of the public.From the same survey, a mere 20% of respondents said news media organizations fairly cover all sides.Eight out of every 10 Americans believe news outlets favor one side when covering political and social news, a share that has increased by seven points since 2019, Pew Research Center data from 2020 shows.When it comes to corporate media, media bias charts from sources such as the Poynter Institute show nearly every outlet leans to one side or the other. Whether a morning cup of coffee and a side of cable news, listening to a podcast on the drive to work or simply scrolling social media, many consume news - as much as eight hours a day on digital devices, four hours with television, 95 minutes with radio and another 17 minutes with newspapers and magazine, data gathered in 2020 by Statista shows.īut how much do we trust our news sources? How much should we trust them? The media of all kinds play a daily role in the lives of Americans and for many, news media remains a staple in the daily routine. (Editor’s note: Photo by Christ Montgomery on Unsplash.)
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