Examples Of Distrust In The Media

PRESENATATION OF DATA
Gallup a survey company conducted an analysis on Americans' distrust in the media. The result showed that in the year 2012, it hit to a new high, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.

The record distrust in the media, based on a survey conducted Sept. 6-9, 2012, also means that negativity toward the media is at an all-time high when election happens. This reflects the continuation of a pattern in which negativity increases every election year compared with the year prior. The current gap between negative

and positive views -- 20 percentage points -- is by far the highest Trust in the media was much higher, and more positive than negative, in the years prior to.
Americans are clearly down on the news media in the year 2012, with a record-high six in 10 expressing little or no trust in the mass media's ability to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. This likely reflects the continuation of the trend seen in recent years, combined with the increased negativity toward the media that election years tend to bring. This is particularly consequential at a time when people need to rely on the media to learn about the platforms and perspectives of the two candidates vying to lead the country for the next four years.
The lower level of interest in news about national politics during this election year may also reflect the level of interest in the presidential election specifically. This survey was conducted immediately after the conclusion of both political conventions and thus may indicate the level of attention paid to those events in particular.
On an expansive level, Americans' high level of distrust in the media serves as a challenge to other democratic countries in presenting challenge to democracy and in creating a fully engrossed citizenry. Media sources must clearly do more to earn the trust of the people, the majority of whom see the media as biased one way or the other. At the same time, there is an opportunity for others outside the "mass media" to serve as information sources that people do trust.