A poll by the Pew Research Center shows a media isolated from the real world, with 65% of journalists saying they do a good job of accurately reporting the news. The public disagrees, with the exact opposite number of American adults – 35% – saying the same thing.
In fact, Pew breaks down five categories in which both journalists and the public are asked if the media does a good job, and the numbers don’t even put the two groups in the same stratosphere.
On the other four topics there is a wide chasm between the two:
- Covering the most important stories of the day (67% of journalists believe they do a very good or somewhat good job, just 41% of the public says the same).
- Serving as a watchdog over elected leaders (52% of journalists believe they do a very good or somewhat good job, just 29% of the public says the same).
- Giving a voice to the underrepresented (46% of journalists believe they do a very good or somewhat good job, just 24% of the public says the same).
- Managing or correcting misinformation (43% of journalists believe they do a very good or somewhat good job, just 25% of the public says the same).
Across the board, more journalists think they do a good job than they think do badly, while the public rates them as abysmal in nearly every category.
My latest for The Hill: https://t.co/68OlkNkZTB
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) June 22, 2022
RELATED: Trust in Media Just Hit An All-Time Low
Why Do Journalists Think They’re Good at Accurately Reporting When They Admit a Bias?
One of the more fascinating elements of this survey in my view is the fact that, while 65% of journalists think their profession does a good job of accurately reporting the news, the same survey shows they admit to having a bias.
A majority – 55% of journalists – feel that every side does not always deserve equal coverage.
Just 44% say they should always strive to give every side equal coverage.
“What historically may have been considered a standard norm of journalism (and even a requirement for broadcast stations in their election coverage) seems, in today’s political environment, to be facing a reevaluation as heated debate ensues around the issue of “bothsidesism,'” Pew writes.
A striking finding. American journalists no longer subscribe to the view that every side deserves equal coverage. pic.twitter.com/fRuDaaSTGi
— Matt Goodwin (@GoodwinMJ) June 14, 2022
A Fox News report confirms this view among personalities at rival networks.
MSNBC’s Joy Reid flat-out said Democrats and Republicans are “not the same” and urged fellow reporters to “tell voters” the GOP was a “threat” to freedom.
Joy Reid suggested the media were too neutral in their reporting on the GOP, and thus needed to ramp up the hostility. She added that both sides were “not the same,” and also urged fellow reporters to “tell voters” the GOP was a “threat” to freedom. https://t.co/ZI1jNaoTFF
— ☜⍟☞ (@xAndrewOcean) June 22, 2022
CNN’s Don Lemon also stated both sides should not be covered equally.
“We cannot have a false sense of equivalency about what is happening when it comes to politics in our country. There is one party, right now, that is not operating in fact, that has been misleading the American people, and that is the Republican Party, sadly,” said Lemon.
Don Lemon, former Republican. roflmao.
Tell us, @donlemon, when was this exactly? https://t.co/khba9bXZ2c
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 16, 2022
NBC News’ Lester Holt made a similar argument.
“I think it’s become clear that fairness is overrated… the idea that we should always give two sides equal weight and merit does not reflect the world we find ourselves in,” Holt said.
NBC’s Lester Holt declares that “fairness is overrated” and that “the idea that we should always give two sides equal weight and merit does not reflect the world we find ourselves in.”pic.twitter.com/qwya8lISz2
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 1, 2021
Proud of Their Work
The Pew Research Center poll shows journalists are pleased with their work despite the fact the public doesn’t seem to think they’re very good at their job.
75% of those polled are either extremely or very proud of their work.
Another interesting finding shows the number one category in which journalists feel their profession is the worst at doing – “Getting the story right.”
Journalists, it seems, need a little more pushback from the public.
Like Christopher Phillips, a college freshman who called out Brian Stelter and CNN for pushing “disinformation” that “magically” benefits only one political party.
Brian Stelter just got called tf out by a college freshman for every major hoax CNN has pushed.
His response was “that’s a popular right-wing narrative.”
pic.twitter.com/bOvE9wDiAD— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 7, 2022
“You’ve all spoken extensively about Fox News being a purveyor of disinformation, but CNN is right up there with them,” Phillips opened.
“They push the Russian collusion hoax, they push the Jussie Smollett hoax, they smeared Justice Kavanaugh as a rapist, and they also smeared Nick Sandmann as a white supremacist. And yes, they dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop affair as pure Russian disinformation,” Phillips accused.
You can bank on the fact that if Stelter was one of the journalists polled by Pew, even after that beatdown, he’d still answer that the media does a good job of accurately reporting the news.
A majority believe this because they live in a bubble.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
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