Why has Americans lost trust in the country’s media?

Why has Americans lost trust in the country’s media?

KAKALI DAS

The elections have brought American media into sharp focus. Typically, this is beneficial—elections boost viewership, increased viewership generates revenue, and everyone comes out satisfied. However, this time may be different, as many Americans no longer trust their media.

According to a recent Gallup report, only 31% of Americans trust their media outlets. This refers to mass media—television, newspapers, radio, all combined. What’s more concerning is that this number has been steadily declining.

In 1972, 68% of Americans trusted the media, and by 1976, that figure rose to 72%. However, since then, there has been a sharp decline. Interestingly, Americans now trust government institutions more than the media, which is quite unusual for the US—a country where many believe the government faked the moon landing. Despite this skepticism, 55% of people trust their local government, while 43% have confidence in the federal government.

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The issue isn’t just a lack of trust; it’s the institutions themselves. In contrast, in India, 41% of people trust the media. Interestingly, trust is higher for state-owned news agencies, with 65% of Indians expressing confidence in All India Radio (AIR). Additionally, regional newspapers enjoy significant trust, with 61% of Indians trusting them according to one survey.

As for commercial platforms, their trust levels are much lower than public ones. However, they aren’t as low as those in the United States at present.

Then there’s Britain, where media trust has rebounded after significant declines. It was at 51% in 2015 but dropped to 28% during the Wuhan virus pandemic. However, it has gradually recovered, reaching 33% last year and 36% this year.

“The question is: what can be done about this? How can we restore trust? It all comes down to one factor: money. Most people are willing to pay for music or streaming content, but they are reluctant to pay for news. Only 17% of people in wealthy countries subscribe to news services, while in India, that figure is just 5%.”

In Europe, the trend mirrors that of India, with nearly 48% of people trusting state broadcasters, while only 29% have confidence in private TV stations.

Reports from China and Russia suggests a staggering 99% trust the media. What is the takeaway here? Why is media trust below 50% in major markets?

Clearly, fake news is a significant issue, and fact-checking is not as rigorous as it once was. Another problem is bias, which is evident in both India and the US. Most mainstream privately-owned media channels in India often act as spokespersons for the current government. In the US, conservatives frequently cite the media’s liberal bias, a point Donald Trump weaponized in 2016 and is doing so again this time.

A third issue is the rise of social media. Many people no longer rely on traditional outlets, so why would they trust something they seldom use? Take India, for example: nearly half of all Indians get their news online, primarily from platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp, or X.

These platforms are doing two things: some are not prioritizing news at all, focusing instead on topics like travel or cooking. Those that do prioritize news often favor content creators over traditional publishers, promoting engaging and addictive content instead.

One example of this is X (formerly Twitter). Elon Musk is a vocal critic of mainstream media and advocates for so-called citizen journalists to take the lead. He is even compensating them for their content.

The question is: what can be done about this? How can we restore trust? It all comes down to one factor: money. Most people are willing to pay for music or streaming content, but they are reluctant to pay for news. Only 17% of people in wealthy countries subscribe to news services, while in India, that figure is just 5%.

Additionally, advertising revenue is shifting away from traditional media, as brands increasingly prefer to advertise on social media platforms. Consequently, traditional media outlets are facing significant challenges, with nearly 3,000 American newspapers shutting down since 2005. Layoffs have become commonplace, and in India, there has been a 15% increase in job cuts this year.

So what do media firms and platforms do? They seek funding from alternative sources, often aligning with large corporations and entities with vested interests. These entities bring their own political agendas. Some view the media purely as a business rather than a civic institution, while others see it as a tool for influence or to advance their agendas, often at the expense of content quality.

Mahabahu.com is an Online Magazine with collection of premium Assamese and English articles and posts with cultural base and modern thinking.  You can send your articles to editor@mahabahu.com / editor@mahabahoo.com (For Assamese article, Unicode font is necessary) Images from different sources.