Jeffrey Gottfried

When Americans were asked to evaluate the media’s standing in the nation, 41% say news organizations are growing in their influence.

About eight-in-ten Americans (79%) say news organizations tend to favor one side when presenting the news on political and social issues.

A majority (82%) say there are times when it is acceptable for journalists to use anonymous sources, with 67% saying it is acceptable only in special cases.

72% of U.S. adults say news organizations do an insufficient job telling their audiences where their money comes from.

59% of Americans think news organizations do not understand people like them, while a minority – 37% – say they do feel understood.

Americans’ confidence in checking COVID-19 information aligns closely with their confidence in checking the accuracy of news stories broadly.

More Americans hold positive than negative views of the news media’s COVID-19 coverage, but Republicans and Democrats remain starkly divided.

66% of Americans feel worn out by the amount of news there is these days – a feeling that has persisted for several years now.

An exploration of more than 50 Pew Research Center surveys confirms the overwhelming impact party identification has on Americans’ trust in the news media. And divides emerge within party – particularly the Republican Party – based on how strongly people approve of Trump.

Republicans largely say fact-checking by news outlets and other organizations favors one side. Democrats mostly think it is fair to all sides.