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Fewer Republicans Trust the News
by Jeremy at 1:28 am EDT, Jun 9, 2004

This is a good study, and sharply revealing about the extent to which most people seek positive reinforcement and fail to question their views.

CNN and Fox are to news as MTV and VH1 are to music, on several levels.

In a country increasingly divided into red and blue states, the media are taking on a more partisan coloration as well -- at least in the eyes of those who read and watch.

Republicans have come to distrust the media in greater numbers since President Bush took office. Democratic views are mostly unchanged.

26 percent of Repulicans say CNN is credible. 45 percent of Democrats say CNN is credible.

CNN was quick to declare victory. "We're obviously pleased -- once again we've been voted the most trusted news organization in America."

CNN and Fox News should be deeply ashamed -- not pleased -- by these results. Instead they simply spin the numbers to reinforce their own self image, which is really a microcosm of the way most of the audience interacts with the media.

On eBay, when considering whether to bid on an item, you may be inclined to review the past performance of the seller, as measured by those who've conducted prior business.

If you found that 74% of previous buyers found the seller's claims about the product to be not credible, would you place a bid?

The Average American selling bric-a-brac on eBay is more credible than "America's most trusted news source." Hrm.

I know! -- how about an eBay for news? Like, a small-town swap meet instead of a Simon mall. Wait a minute ...

The survey also uncovers what might be called the Iraq effect, with 52 percent saying they track international news closely, not just when important developments occur, compared with 37 percent two years ago.

Tom, you're feeling the Iraq effect.

Trust Matters. MemeStreams Builds Trust. MemeStreams Matters.

RE: Fewer Republicans Trust the News
by Decius at 10:12 am EDT, Jun 9, 2004

Jeremy wrote:
] 26 percent of Repulicans say CNN is credible. 45
] percent of Democrats say CNN is credible.

How much of this is genuine realization of the problems with sensationalistic infotainment, and how much of this is simply an example of the increased stratification of American politics. Whether you are left, or right, you know you've drunk the koolaid when you decide that CNN is controlled by your enemies.

The Republicans have been ramming home the "liberal media" message for years. In other words, don't get your information from the news media, who are mostly lying because they are trying to sell you toothpaste, get it from us, because we're mostly lying because we're trying to sell you an ideology. Is it really surprising that this message has caused 70+ percent of their side to question CNN?

In recent years the left appears to have joined in the fracas. It hasn't been going on for as long, nor is there a "conservative media" meme backing it. There is simply the presumption that the news media, CNN especially, promotes corporate interests because they just another evil corporation. The CNN represents the "right wing" to people who are so far left, and so distrustful of success, that can't see halfway around the political spectrum.

I agree, CNN is not a great source of information. CNN has an agenda. But I don't see any of the above as actual progress. People aren't really realizing that the news media is playing them. They are switching to less objective, less honest sources of information who are playing them even more, with more sinister goals, and they are getting worse, not better, at thinking critically about the information they are being presented.