Media Attitudes

The Pew-Knight Initiative will deliver a comprehensive, real-time look at the information landscape from the standpoints of both consumers and producers of news.

76% of Black adults say they at least sometimes get news on TV, compared with 62% of both White and Hispanic adults and 52% of Asian adults.

Half of 18- to 29-year-olds say they have at least some trust in the information they get from social media sites.

55% of journalists surveyed say that every side does not always deserve equal coverage in the news. 22% of Americans overall say the same.

A survey of U.S.-based journalists finds 77% would choose their career all over again, though 57% are highly concerned about future restrictions on press freedom.

The declining public trust in the news media and polarization of news audiences have profound effects on civic life.

Pew Research Center’s political typology sorts Americans into cohesive, like-minded groups based on their values, beliefs, and views about politics and the political system. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics.

In just five years, the percentage of Republicans with at least some trust in national news organizations has been cut in half.

48% of US adults say the government should restrict false information online, even if it means losing some freedom to access/publish content.

Americans’ trust in media varies widely by political party and whether they see the outlet in question as part of the “mainstream media.”