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Media Trust Is Dead—And It’s Their Own Fault

Updated: May 20


Gray tombstone in a cemetery reads "MEDIA." Overcast sky and other tombstones in background. Somber, reflective mood.

Media Trust in Freefall: How Journalism Lost America’s Faith

The American media, once a beacon of truth, now languishes at historic lows of public trust, outranked only by Congress in its unpopularity (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2024). A 2024 Gallup poll found just 31% of Americans have “a great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence in the media to report news fully, accurately, and fairly—a record low tied with 2016 (Gallup, 2024). Half of Americans believe national news outlets intentionally mislead, with only 23% thinking journalists prioritize the public’s interests (Christian Science Monitor, 2023). From dismissing concerns about Joe Biden’s cognitive health as “conspiracy theories” to shifting COVID-19 narratives, the media’s credibility has been torched. Posts on X echo this sentiment, with users declaring, “Legacy media torched its credibility—now it’s just smoke and spin”. How did we get here, and can trust be rebuilt?


A Half-Century Collapse

In the 1970s, 68-72% of Americans trusted the media, a golden era when newspapers and nightly news were society’s shared truth-tellers (Gallup, 2024). By 2024, that figure plummeted to 31%, with 36% expressing no trust at all—a first in Gallup’s history (Gallup, 2024). The decline began in the 1970s, fueled by political realignments post-Civil Rights Movement, when Democrats and Republicans grew ideologically rigid, viewing institutions through partisan lenses (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2024). The rise of cable news and talk radio in the 1980s and 1990s deepened divides, with outlets like Fox News and MSNBC catering to ideological camps (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2024).


The internet age accelerated the fall. As advertising revenue shifted to Google and Facebook, newspapers lost $40 billion annually from 2005 to 2020, forcing layoffs and a “race to the bottom” for clicks (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2024). Social media platforms, now a primary news source for 41% of adults under 30, are trusted by just 28% of those 65 and older, reflecting a generational shift (Pew Research Center, 2024). A 2024 study across 46 countries linked the decline in television news and rise of social media to lower trust, with the U.S. ranking last at 29% (Poynter, 2021; Oxford Academic, 2024).


Partisan and Generational Divides

Trust varies starkly by politics and age. In 2024, 54% of Democrats, 27% of independents, and just 12% of Republicans trusted the media—a 42-point partisan gap (Gallup, 2024). Democrats’ trust, once as high as 76% in 2017, has dipped to near-record lows, while Republicans’ confidence has been near nonexistent since 2020 (Gallup, 2024). Independents, now at a historic low of 27%, reflect growing disillusionment (Gallup, 2024). Younger Americans are particularly skeptical: only 26% of those under 50 trust the media, compared to 43% of those 65 and older, with 18- to 29-year-olds trusting social media nearly as much as national news (Gallup, 2024; Pew Research Center, 2024).


The Biden cognitive decline saga exemplifies this divide. Critics who raised concerns were labeled conspiracists by outlets like CNN and The New York Times, only for books like Jake Tapper’s Original Sin to later validate those worries (Tapper & Thompson, 2025). Similarly, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough’s 2024 claim that Biden was at his peak was widely mocked after Biden’s debate flop, further eroding credibility (MSNBC, 2024).


Consequences: A Fractured Public Square

Low trust isn’t just a media problem—it’s a democratic crisis. When half of Americans believe news outlets deliberately mislead, civic discourse suffers (Christian Science Monitor, 2023). Polarized audiences retreat to echo chambers, with Republicans favoring Newsmax (41% trust) and Democrats leaning on CNN (66% trust), deepening societal fractures (YouGov, 2022). The rise of non-mainstream sources, trusted by those skeptical of legacy media, fuels misinformation, as seen in COVID-19 debates (Oxford Academic, 2024).


The erosion of media trust has created a dangerous feedback loop—fewer resources for investigative journalism, more reliance on sensationalism, and the rise of pundit-driven narratives that prioritize opinion over fact. When analysis and speculation dominate the headlines, genuine reporting takes a backseat. The result? Audiences are left sifting through conflicting perspectives, rather than being presented with verifiable truths. Journalism is meant to inform the public—not lecture them on what they should believe.


Economic disruption compounds the issue. As newsrooms shrink, investigative reporting—key to accountability—dwindles, leaving clickbait and opinion pieces to fill the void (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2024). This cycle erodes trust further, as audiences feel served narratives over facts. The 2023 Gallup/Knight Foundation poll found 61% of Americans believe the flood of news sources makes staying informed harder, not easier (Christian Science Monitor, 2023).


Can Trust Be Rebuilt?

Restoring trust is a “monster task,” as Axios noted, requiring more than just accurate reporting (Axios, 2021). Local news, trusted more than national outlets (75% of Republicans trust local sources vs. 53% for national), offers a blueprint (Pew Research Center, 2024). Transparency—showing sources and methods—resonates with audiences, as does inclusivity, especially for marginalized groups like Black and Hispanic Americans, who feel underserved (Poynter, 2021). The Weather Channel, trusted by 52% of Americans, proves apolitical reporting can win broad support (YouGov, 2023).


Journalists must also confront bias. A 2020 Pew study found 55% of journalists believe not every side deserves equal coverage, compared to 22% of Americans, alienating audiences craving fairness (Pew Research Center, 2020). Media outlets could learn from independent voices on X, where raw, unfiltered perspectives often resonate more than polished narratives.


A Call for Accountability

The First Amendment guarantees a free press—but what happens when the press abandons that freedom to protect those in power? Instead of serving as democracy’s watchdog, major news outlets have acted as an arm of the government, shielding Joe Biden from scrutiny while dismissing legitimate concerns. They had the authority—and the duty—to investigate, to challenge, to report the truth. Instead, they chose silence. Media trust is dead. This is not journalism. This is propaganda.


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