CNN, Washington Post, NY Times, “Vice”, MSNBC. Fox News, Sky News, Newmax as well. I’m pretty sure these sites sometimes flat-out get paid to write promotional and attack articles. I’m absolutely sure most of the articles are clickbaity content, with misleading headlines, exaggerated suggestions, and polarized opinions in “factual” content.
I have a theory that the Democratic news literally caused Trump to be elected (albeit unintentionally) when they wouldn’t stop talking about him. They along with the Republican news definitely caused both sides to be much more partisan and angry. All that anger you hear about online and recently have started seeing in person? I really believe it just wouldn’t be there if not for the news. And not “reporting the factual state of the US” news, the exaggeration and polarization and doom-saying in the news articles. They are fulfilling their own wild prophecies.
“But not all the news!” Yeah, not all the news. Although some sites which used to be decent and rational (e.g. NY Times) have become clickbaity and opinionated, I still have many sources I can rely on which still post level-headed, objective content. NPR is a must, but I’m pretty sure The Associated Press, Reuters, and The Economist are also still ok.
Furthermore, even with the exaggeration and opinions, most news sites like CNN and NY Times still report accurate facts, you just have to pick them out and discard the opinions and implied stuff and misdirections. Idk how the Republican side is doing but I kind of doubt Fox News is at the point where they’re flat-out lying yet either, they just heavily suggest stuff which are “out there” takes or get disproven later.
But when I say “yeah, some news sources are ok, and most news sources have the right facts, although…” That means my confidence in the media is low. That’s what this poll is asking, right? “What is your confidence in the media?” My confidence in the media is low. Because when I think of “the media”, I think of CNN and NY Times and all those opinionated sites, and while I expect they will never truly misreport facts, I can’t really trust them because the facts are hidden in misleading statements and opinions.