Most in U.S. say press is biased

The Washington Times ^ | April 28, 2005 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[neverdem]

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The Washington Timeswww.washingtontimes.com

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Most in U.S. say press is biased

Published April 28, 2005

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Most Americans think press coverage is biased and negative, but say they respect journalists and trust what they read and hear.

    A national survey conducted by the Missouri School of Journalism's Center for Advanced Social Research found that 62 percent consider journalism credible, and more than half rated newspapers and television news as trustworthy.

    But 85 percent say they detect a bias in reporting. Of those, 48 percent identified the bias as liberal, 30 percent as conservative, 12 percent as both and 3 percent as "other."

    About two-thirds say journalists invade people's privacy too often, and about three-quarters say the news is too negative.

    "The consumers of American journalism respect, value and need it, but they're also skeptical about whether journalists really live up to the standards of accuracy, fairness and respect for others that we profess," says George Kennedy, a Missouri journalism professor and co-author of a study that incorporates the survey results.

    The survey found that Americans strongly support the investigative or watchdog role of the press, with 83 percent saying it is important for journalists to push for access to information even when government officials would like to keep it quiet.

    But there also was plenty of criticism. Among the poll's findings:

    •58 percent say journalists have too much influence over what happens in the world.

    •74 percent say reporters tend to favor one side over the other when covering political and social issues.

[neverdem]

The survey polled 495 adults during June and July 2004 and has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

How timely they publish the results!

[dirtboy]

The survey polled 495 adults during June and July 2004

Before Rathergate. Before Easongate. Before all the drip, drip, drip of fabricated stories in the media.

Lord knows what the numbers are now.

[Brilliant]

poll taken before Rathergate. Seems pretty useless now.

[TexasRepublic]

..but say they respect journalists and trust what they read and hear.

BS malarky! I distrusted them 40 years ago!

[John Lenin]

Everbody in the US thinks the press is biased except the 80% of liberals who make it up. Imagine that !

[truth_seeker]

The olde network news of ABC/NBC/CBS has a shrinking market share.

Average age is 60, and they worry about losing market share to nursing homes, not each other.

The growing demographic looks to other sources. Cable, Internet, Talk Radio, etc.

[jess35]

Most Americans think press coverage is biased and negative, but say they respect journalists and trust what they read and hear.

Anyone else see a problem with this?

[jmaroneps37]

"The survey polled 495 adults during June and July 2004."
Doesn't this make the point so very well. We are winning. They are losing.

[rdb3]

Most Americans think press coverage is biased and negative, but say they respect journalists and trust what they read and hear.

Why does the term "cognitive dissonance" spring to mind here?

[freedomfiter2]

Of those, 48 percent identified the bias as liberal, 30 percent as conservative,

Does anyone else think that it is scary that 30 percent believe the media is conservative?

[BibChr]

In related news:

Most in U.S. say water is "powerful wet stuff"

Dan

[Cyber Ninja]

Does anyone else think that it is scary that 30 percent believe the media is conservative?

That is about the percentage of hard core Kerry there were. And it is sKerry!