We have previously discussed polling showing the media at record lows in public trust. Well, the latest survey from Gallup shows that the media hit another all-time low. What is most impressive is that plummeting readers, revenues, and layoffs have done little to convince the mainstream media that the problem is not the public but themselves. The only institution with a lower level of public trust is Congress, and that says a lot. It is like beating Ebola as the preferred communicable disease.Some 69 percent of Americans now say that they have no or little trust in the media. Only 31 percent say that they have a great deal or fair amount of trust. The trending line looks like the sales of buggy whips after the introduction of the Model T Ford. Gallop put it into sharp terms:
“About two-thirds of Americans in the 1970s trusted the “mass media — such as newspapers, TV and radio” either “a great deal” or “a fair amount” to “[report] the news fully, accurately and fairly.” By the next measurement in 1997, confidence had fallen to 53%, and it has gradually trended downward since 2003. Americans are now divided into rough thirds, with 31% trusting the media a great deal or a fair amount, 33% saying they do “not [trust it] very much,” and 36%, up from 6% in 1972, saying they have no trust at all in it.”
In my book, The Indispensable Right, I discuss how journalists and journalism schools have destroyed their own profession by rejecting objectivity and engaging in open advocacy journalism. The mainstream media has long echoed the talking points of the left and the Democratic Party, particularly in its one-sided coverage of the last three elections.
While Bob Woodward and others have finally admitted that the Russian collusion coverage lacked objectivity and resulted in false reporting, media figures are pushing even harder against objectivity as a core value in journalism.
We have been discussing the rise of advocacy journalism and the rejection of objectivity in journalism schools. Writers, editors, commentators, and academics have embraced rising calls for censorship and speech controls, including President-elect Joe Biden and his key advisers. This movement includes academics rejecting the very concept of objectivity in journalism in favor of open advocacy.
Columbia Journalism Dean and New Yorker writer Steve Coll decried how the First Amendment right to freedom of speech was being “weaponized” to protect disinformation. In an interview with The Stanford Daily, Stanford journalism professor Ted Glasser insisted that journalism needed to “free itself from this notion of objectivity to develop a sense of social justice.” He rejected the notion that journalism is based on objectivity and said that he views “journalists as activists because journalism at its best — and indeed history at its best — is all about morality.” Thus, “Journalists need to be overt and candid advocates for social justice, and it’s hard to do that under the constraints of objectivity.”
The Washington Post’s former executive editor Leonard Downie Jr. and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward released the results of their interviews with over 75 media leaders and concluded that objectivity is now considered reactionary and even harmful. Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, editor-in-chief at the San Francisco Chronicle said it plainly: “Objectivity has got to go.”
Lauren Wolfe, the fired freelance editor for the New York Times, has not only gone public to defend her pro-Biden tweet but published a piece titled “I’m a Biased Journalist and I’m Okay With That.”
Former New York Times writer (and now Howard University Journalism Professor) Nikole Hannah-Jones is a leading voice for advocacy journalism. Indeed, Hannah-Jones has declared “all journalism is activism.”
This is why the whole “Let’s Go Brandon” chant was as much a criticism of the media as President Biden. There is clearly an effort by owners like Jeff Bezos to change this culture rather than bankroll newspapers like the Washington Post vanity projects for the left.
Robert Lewis, a British media executive who joined the Post earlier this year, reportedly got into a “heated exchange” with a staffer. Lewis explained that, while reporters were protesting measures to expand readership, the very survival of the paper was now at stake:
“We are going to turn this thing around, but let’s not sugarcoat it. It needs turning around,” Lewis said. “We are losing large amounts of money. Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff. Right. I can’t sugarcoat it anymore.”
The response from staffers was to call for the new editors to be fired. One staffer complained, “We now have four White men running three newsrooms.” The Post has been buying out staff to avoid mass layoffs, but reporters are up in arms over the effort to turn the newspaper around.
The question is whether viewers and readers can still be brought back into the fold. New media is expanding as citizens have looked elsewhere for news. In the meantime, some media outlets and organizations seem to have doubled down on the bias. Just last year, Washington Post reporter Cleve Wootson Jr. appeared to call upon the White House to censor the interview of Elon Musk with former President Donald Trump. The newspaper did not say a thing about the incongruity of one of its leading reporters calling for censorship.
After Trump was elected, NBC selected Yamiche Alcindor to return to the White House despite a history of alleged bias. Alcindor, who also worked for PBS, was criticized for often preceding questions with attacks on conservatives or over-the-top praise for Joe Biden or Democrats. While others saw raw political bias, Alcindor explained that it was her job to use journalism to bend the “moral arc toward justice.”
Recently, the White House Correspondent’s Association picked an anti-Trump comedian who promptly encouraged Trump not to come to the dinner, saying that no one wants to be in the same room with him.
In the meantime, “J schools” continue to dismiss objectivity and crank out journalists who are told to embrace activism as the public flees legacy media for new media.
For the moment, it seems like journalists are content to write for each other and about 30 percent of the public. The echo chamber is getting smaller and smaller. So are the staffs on the outlets. Without public trust, the media is just talking to itself as the public turns to citizen journalists and new media on blogs and social media.
As someone who has worked for three networks and written as a columnist for three decades, the decline of American media has been painful to watch. The industry has operated like a ship of fools with no regard for their viewers or readers. However, we need the media. The press plays a central role in our democracy as reflected in the press protections afforded under the First Amendment.
The effort to break this culture at outlets like the Post and L.A. Times is encouraging, but these polls indicate that time is of the essence.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
corporate owned mass media workers are shameless liars, sycophants of the plutocracy
we all know it, this is the result
Sal Sar
There is no ‘allegedness’ about Alcindor’s ‘reporting’, it straight up propaganda.
Start your dream career from the comfort of your home today! No experience or special skills needed—just a strong drive and willingness to learn. Get paid weekly or monthly, based on your preference, and enjoy the freedom to work on your own terms. Take the first step towards a
brighter future now!…… https://go4pro15.blogspot.com/
Another Ukrainian Member of Parliament, Oleksandr Dubinsky, rebukes Volodymyr Zelenskyk, calls for him to be removed as leader.
You have to search international news sites to learn of latest developments within Ukraine. Like all Democrats, the American MSM is the enemy of freedom and hate the United States.
Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Dubinsky demands Volodymyr Zelensky’s removal, citing ‘diplomatic failure’ with Donald Trump
Impeachment Demands Gain Momentum
Dubinsky called for an “emergency session of the Ukrainian Parliament” to initiate impeachment proceedings against Zelensky. He laid out his accusations in blunt terms:
Foreign policy failure: Ukraine’s increasing isolation and the loss of critical Western support.
A lost war: Strategic missteps and poor leadership contributing to Ukraine’s ongoing battlefield struggles.
Suppression of dissent: Crackdowns on political opponents and moves toward authoritarian rule.
“I appeal to all Members of the Ukrainian Parliament: stop wasting time, stop waiting! Zelensky is bankrupt. Zelensky is not Ukraine! It is time to put him on trial. If he cannot offer a real way out of the crisis, then it is up to us to make fateful decisions,” Dubinsky declared.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/ukrainian-mp-demands-volodymyr-zelenskys-removal-citing-diplomatic-failure-with-donald-trump-who-is-oleksandr-dubinsky/articleshow/118644237.cms
Maybe an election
#74. DJT wants the money back in minerals. It’s not that they can’t be purchased elsewhere. Vance speech to the EU was straight forward in saying the EU must step up. You do recall the speech about free speech?
Good luck Europe. Keep the change zelensky…
Ukrainian Members of Parliament to Zeenskyy’s blowout in the Oval Office are now being disclosed.
Олексій Гончаренко (Oleksiy Goncharenko), a member of the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv posted on his Facebook account:
Олексій Гончаренко’s Post
Це просто жах.
По суті, ми побачили прям зараз кінець нашим відносинам з Трампом.
Абсолютний ідіотизм був почати СВАРИТИСЬ з Президентом США перед камерами.
Це можна робити і напевно треба робити, але не перед камерами.
Те що сталось тільки що – це може мати ДУЖЕ ПОГАНІ НАСЛІДКИ.
Від відключення Старлінку до блокування всієї розвідувальної інформації, яку дає нам США.
Це не гра, у нас мільйони людей помирають і воюють. Не для того, щоб ОСЬ ТАК ВЕСТИ ПЕРЕМОВИНИ з основним союзником.
https://www.facebook.com/alexeygoncharenko/posts/pfbid05SVWh36DhViro3X8FDLvM6jcohArvhd8XTyQ9jvKHZxrc4V3QpsBuLyGRLYZgeiml?rdid=0YEQuRIYru9j5iIB
І знаєте, дуже добре тиснути в інтересах держави. Відстоювати позиції. Боротись за наші інтереси.
Інша справа: боротись за своє его. І намагатись показати, який ти класний.
Це просто довб0їбізм.
Однією рукою ми віддаємо наші корисні копалини, іншою – ще й прибираємо допомогу, яку хоч якось могли отримати.
Мій дуже херовий прогноз того, що сталось:
1. США повністю прикриють допомогу Україні.
2. США зупинять передачу розвідувальних даних Україні.
3. Можлива загроза відключення Старлінку.
Прям сьогодні Зеленський поставив під ризик мільйони людей. І це безумство.
https://www.facebook.com/alexeygoncharenko/posts/pfbid0kbjZSgg3ARFT7dWiThue3D5zw7EPU34qqNwaa64hT2wKWzfivYnCs2H5qGinSuCAl?rdid=kMgBwUHiFxJuzKHa
Google translation
This is just terrible.
In fact, we saw the end of our relations with Trump right now. It was absolute idiocy to start ARGUING with the President of the United States in front of the cameras. This can be done and probably should be done, but not in front of the cameras. What just happened could have VERY BAD CONSEQUENCES. From turning off Starlink to blocking all the intelligence information that the USA gives us. This is not a game, we have millions of people dying and fighting. Not in order to CONDUCT NEGOTIATIONS WITH A MAJOR ALLY.
And you know, it is very good to put pressure in the interests of the state. Defend your positions. Fight for our interests.
Another thing: Fight for your ego. And try to show how cool you are.
It’s just #$&@%****.
With one hand, we give away our minerals, and with the other, we also remove any help we might have received.
My very good forecast of what happened:
1.the United States will completely cover up assistance to Ukraine.
2.the United States will stop transmitting intelligence data to Ukraine.
3.there may be a threat of disabling Starlink.
Right today, Zelensky put millions of people at risk. And it’s crazy.
Perhaps the mainstream media could learn some lessons from the non-mainstream media on Substack and not have their narratives defined by their advertisers…
…meanwhile back in Kyiv.
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/03/01/absolute-idiocy-zelensky-blasted-by-ukrainian-lawmaker-for-arguing-with-president-trump-in-front-of-the-world/
Cease Musk’s Starlink internet access to the Ukrainian’s Armed Forces
and end all of Washington (Langley’s) sharing intelligence with Kyiv.
Remove all U.S. Assets – Bug out & Blackout A.S.A.P.
If Trump is advancing Putin’s interests, then Trump is the true traitor.
Trump is not advancing Putin’s interests. Trump is advancing America’s interesting and to a second degree the Ukraine’s interests with the mineral deal. That would give America a vested interest in the Ukraine. American companies, American people would be in the Ukraine. Russia would not do anything to put those interests in danger knowing that would trigger a military response. That was, until the Democrats met with Zelensky and conned him into that staged display at the WH.
Putin has minerals to sell and opened up trade with anyone in the world including the US in a press conference today.
“. . . then Trump is the true traitor.”
Since when is insulting your benefactor — the *only* person who can keep your country relatively intact — a winning strategy?
Zelensky might begin with an election for his free people and stop censoring speech and press. He canceled elections. Ukraine is under Marshall law.
Trump is not “advancing Putin’s interests.” He’s trying to end a stupid war started by the West
“Started by the west”? You are working for Putin, as is Trump.