At least this should be less controversial than some of the political threads ~~~
Americans see:
-- Growing media attempts to influence public opinion and policies
-- Poor quality
-- A strong liberal bent in most media
-- Fox News, CNN and NBC as the most accurate
A Sacred Heart University Poll found significantly declining percentages of Americans saying they
believe all or most of media news reporting. In the current national poll,
just 19.6% of those surveyed could say they believe all or most news media
reporting. This is down from 27.4% in 2003. Just under one-quarter, 23.9%, in
2007 said they believe little or none of reporting while 55.3% suggested they
believe some media news reporting.
"The fact that an astonishing percentage of Americans see biases and
partisanship in their mainstream news sources suggests an active and critical
consumer of information in the U.S.," stated James Castonguay, Ph.D.,
associate professor and chair of SHU's Department of Media Studies & Digital
Culture. "The availability of alternative viewpoints and news sources through
the Internet no doubt contributes to the increased skepticism about the
objectivity of profit-driven news outlets owned by large conglomerates," he
continued.
The perception is growing among Americans that the news media attempts to
influence public opinion -- from 79.3% strongly or somewhat agreeing in 2003
to 87.6% in 2007.
And, 86.0% agreed (strongly or somewhat) that the news media attempts to
influence public policies -- up from 76.7% in 2003.
Americans surveyed provided poor ratings for the national news media on six
different characteristics measured. The average overall positive rating across
all six characteristics measured was 33.4%. The highest positive rating,
40.7%, was recorded for quality of reporting followed by accuracy of reporting
at 36.9% and keeping any personal bias out of stories (33.3%).
Other low positive ratings included: fairness (31.3%), presenting an even
balance of views (30.4%) and presenting negative and positive news equally
(27.5%).
"Americans know bias and imbalance when they see it and they don't like it.
When most service organizations strive for consumer satisfaction ratings in
the high eighties to low nineties, an overall positive rating of 40.7% is
dismal," said Jerry C. Lindsley, director of the Sacred Heart University
Polling Institute. He added, "Americans know that it's just not that hard to
present both sides and keep personal bias at home."
By four-to-one margins, Americans surveyed see The New York Times (41.9% to
11.8%) and National Public Radio (40.3% to 11.2%) as mostly or somewhat
liberal over mostly or somewhat conservative.
By a three-to-one margin, Americans see news media journalists and
broadcasters (45.4% to 15.7%) as mostly or somewhat liberal over mostly or
somewhat conservative.
And, by a two-to-one margin, Americans see CNN (44.9% to 18.4%) and MSNBC
(38.8% to 15.8%) as mostly or somewhat liberal over mostly or somewhat
conservative.
Just Fox News was seen as mostly and somewhat conservative (48.7%) over mostly
or somewhat liberal (22.3%).
The most trusted national TV news organizations, for accurate reporting, in
declining order included: Fox News (27.0%), CNN (14.6%), and NBC News
(10.90%). These were followed by ABC News (7.0%), local news (6.9%), CBS News
(6.8%) MSNBC (4.0%), PBS News (3.0%), CNBC (0.6%) and CBN (0.5%).
In 2003, CNN led Fox News on "trust most for accurate reporting" 23.8% to
14.6%.
EXPERTS AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT
-- Jerry C. Lindsley, director, Sacred Heart University Polling Institute
-- James Castonguay, Ph.D., associate professor and chair, Sacred Heart
University's Department of Media Studies & Digital Culture
Statistically, a sample of 800 completed telephone interviews represents a
margin for error of +/-3.5% at a 95% confidence level.
