Todd Buell’s Post

Gallup’s latest poll shows that Americans’ trust in the media remains at a trend-low, highlighting ongoing challenges for journalism in regaining public confidence. As professionals in the media industry, this underscores the importance of transparency, accountability, and connecting with audiences in meaningful ways. Restoring trust requires a focus on credibility and consistently delivering reliable news. It's a critical moment for the future of journalism. #Media #Journalism #PublicTrust #Gallup https://lnkd.in/eKcNs_xH

The latest Gallup poll on Americans’ distrust in the media triggered my soapbox (sorry, not sorry!). I earned my Journalism & Mass Communications degree in the early 2000s. I still remember how much my professors upheld a staunch reverence for things like objective news reporting, journalistic accuracy, integrity, and the role of the fourth estate to hold our civic institutions accountable. What happened? My hot take: 1987: Repeal of the Fairness Doctrine - news broadcast agencies used to be required to cover both sides of controversial issues. 2000: Repeal of the "personal attack" rule - an attack on the honesty, character, or integrity of a person or group during a broadcast triggered a requirement for the broadcaster to offer a reasonable opportunity to respond within one week. 2011: FCC removed the “political editorial” rule - broadcasters had to provide candidates an opportunity to respond if an editorial endorsed or opposed a legally qualified candidate for public office. People often blame social media for our polarization (and it clearly plays a significant role), but let’s not forget that media coverage has gradually blurred the lines between news and opinion. It has established partisan media as the norm, and by focusing on profit, the competition for clicks has emphasized controversy and entertainment over objective coverage of facts. #media #journalism #fairnessdoctrine #objectivity https://lnkd.in/gSizHMWK

Gallup writes, for the third consecutive year, more US adults have no trust at all in the media (36%) than trust it a great deal or fair amount. Another 33% of Americans express “not very much” confidence. The findings are from a poll conducted Sept. 3-15, which includes Gallup’s annual update on trust in the media and other civic and political entities in the US. As has been the case historically, partisans have different levels of confidence in the media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. Currently, 54% of Democrats, 27% of independents and 12% of Republicans say they have a great deal or fair amount of trust in the media. Independents’ trust matches the record low in 2022, while Democrats’ and Republicans’ are statistically similar to their historical low points. After dropping precipitously to the trend low of 51% in 2016, Democrats’ trust in the media ranged from 68% to 76% between 2017 and 2022 but fell to 58% last year and has edged down since. Over the past two decades, significant gaps in trust have also emerged by age. An analysis by age groups using aggregated data to increase sample sizes shows a 17-percentage-point gap in trust between the oldest Americans (those aged 65 and older) and those under age 50—43% vs. 26%, respectively. Our Take 1: It's increasingly hard to know where to turn for honest, fact-based news and analysis these days. Journalists certainly aren't as honest in their reporting as they were decades ago. We suspect they aren't as competent, either. It doesn't help that the journalists who know their profession is being destroyed from the inside out simply refuse to speak up. Apparently, that kind of courage went out with the electric typewriter. Our Take 2: More than ever, if we want the real scoop, it requires we do our own research. The data and facts are typically there... we simply have to look for them, and then apply the kind of critical thinking that's so rarely done in today's newsrooms. Good luck to those accepting the challenge. 📰 👀 #journalism #politics #us

📊 Trust in media is at an all-time low—just 31% of Americans say they trust the press, with stark differences across political lines. Gallup’s latest survey shows that while 54% of Democrats trust the media, only 12% of Republicans do. As media professionals, how do we address this growing trust gap? 🤔 At Qurio we’re helping newsrooms engage directly with their audiences in meaningful, nuanced ways—creating space for open dialogue and bridging divisions. By using AI-powered interactive engagement callouts and micro-campaigns, news publishers can foster conversations that connect with people across political affiliations and rebuild trust. If you're looking to strengthen your community’s connection with your content, sign up for free to explore how Qurio can help! https://getqurio.com/ #MediaTrust #AudienceEngagement #LocalNews #Journalism #Depolarization #InnovationInMedia https://lnkd.in/dZgzUucV

Just when we think we have a handle on the population's current media consumption habits, we get a thrown a curveball...in this case, a massive one...which leaves us scratching our heads. According to the results of a recent study conducted by the Pew-Knight Initiative (a five-year partnership between Pew Research Center and the Knight Foundation), 85% of U.S. adults feel local news is “somewhat important to the well-being of their local community,” with 44% saying it is “extremely” or “very” important. Great, right? Here comes the curveball, as outlined in Nieman Journalism Lab. While Americans say local news matters, they are engaging with it less and less. Since 2016, “the share of Americans who say they follow local news very closely has fallen by 15 percentage points,” from 37% to 22%. Eight years ago, 78% of Americans said they followed local news at least “somewhat” closely; that figure is now at 66%. That decline has more or less mirrored a similar decline in national news interest, and it’s most pronounced among younger Americans. So what's REALLY going on here? Many people are simply getting their news from other sources, mostly friends, family members and neighbors. Another contributing factor is that many local media outlets have closed down for financial reasons, thereby creating "news deserts," geographical areas where there are no sources of local news. One of the most interesting findings: a topic Americans can’t do without is the weather. Nine in 10 Americans follow news about local weather often or sometimes, and almost seven in 10 follow it often.

Understanding how our audiences feel about news and media helps us become better journalists and business owners. 💬 That’s why I was eager to learn what readers had to say in the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium's recent poll. 📊 The results shed light on trust and news consumption throughout the state. For the dozens of TAPinto sites filling news deserts around NJ, this is vital insight directly tied to our mission to provide reliable, relatable and unbiased information. 📰 Sixteen percent of those polled said they trusted local news in their area “a great deal,” and 63% said “a moderate amount.” This means 8 out of 10 people have a significant level of trust in local news. Trust is paramount, and we understand the responsibility we carry to facilitate informed conversations and encourage civic participation. That’s why we designed our tech so that readers can easily share their own news, milestones and opinions with the broader community. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they felt at least “somewhat well” informed about the most important stories and issues of the day. Interestingly, New Jerseyans surveyed said they most wanted to hear about topics like local activities, crime and weather. Our TAPinto sites share high-impact stories and showcase the events and people that make their communities unique. Being hyperlocal makes TAPinto truly valuable in this regard. Our audience expects a local news source to report news accurately and be transparent. Fostering that trust is a vital, ongoing component of journalism sustainability. This survey has me thinking about more ways to involve our community in our storytelling, make engaging simple and keep our coverage as wide-reaching as possible. Thanks to the NJ Civic Information Consortium for commissioning this poll so news outlets can all reflect, learn and grow. 👏 🔗 Read more and get the link to the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e4TaJEdg

"Why are under-35s losing interest in the news?" For me, this article asks the wrong question. It wrongly attributes cause and effect. We should be asking why media organisations are failing to meet younger people on their own terms. It's rather like saying under-35s are losing interest in clothes because they buy fewer suits and ties. Journalism needs to adapt if it's to survive as a valued addition to society. And the results of this survey are a wakeup call. #JournalismMatters https://lnkd.in/eepmJBdY

Engaging young audiences with traditional news can be tough. Here's why: 1) Attention Competition: Social media, entertainment, and games fight for their attention, often with flashy visuals and quick hits. 2) Information Overload: Young people are bombarded with information online. News, often lengthy and complex, can feel overwhelming. 3) Distrust in Media: Concerns about fake news and bias can make youngsters skeptical of traditional news sources. 4) Presentation Disconnect: Traditional news formats might seem outdated compared to the interactive content young people are used to.  For publications like Frontline Magazine, getting the youth to read the kind of journalist we produce has been a daunting challenge, and trust us when we say this, we are still searching for ways and means to do that.