Trust in elected leaders and media hits bottom
Confidence that elected leaders and journalists will act in America's best interests has dropped so far that their “trust” ratings can’t fall much more.
According to the latest Pew Research Center survey, just 2% of adults have a “great deal of confidence” that elected officials can be trusted with national affairs. And for journalists, it’s similarly dismal at just 6%.
Add in those who have a “fair amount of confidence,” and journalism rises to 40% and politicians to 24%. But just three years ago, 55% had a fair to great trust in the media. The Pew figures have shown remarkable consistency in the very low ratings of politicians.
On the other end, 24% had "no confidence at all" in journalists. It was 23% for politicians.
The survey was bad news for most institutions, including science, but none have lost the confidence of the nation as politicians and reporters, which together make and bring most of the news to the country.
In fact, their approval ratings have been on a downward trend for so long that they barely got a mention in the new report that focused on the coronavirus’ impact on scientists.
Said Pew:
“The public continues to express lower levels of confidence in journalists, business leaders, and elected officials, though even for these groups, public confidence is tilting more negative. Four-in-ten say they have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in journalists and business leaders to act in the public’s best interests; six-in-ten now say they have not too much or no confidence at all in these groups. Ratings for elected officials are especially negative: 24% say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in elected officials, compared with 76% who say they have not too much or no confidence in them.”
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