60% Of Americans Have Little Or No Trust In The Media

The chart above represents the results of a recent Gallup Poll -- done between September 9th and 13th of a national sample of 1,025 adults, with a 4 point margin of error.

This result should trouble all of us, because it shows that only 40% of the people in the U.S. have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the media, and 60% have little or no trust in the media. How can we sustain a democracy when 60% of the people don't believe what the media reports? Doesn't a democracy depend on the voting population knowing the truth (and believing they have the truth)?

And sadly, I believe that 60% is right. We don't get all of the news it is important for us to know, and much of what we do get is slanted to favor those in power. Why is this happening? Because about 95% of all media outlets are owned and controlled by only six giant corporations. We only get the news those six corporations want us to have.

Thank goodness for the internet. Anyone willing to put in some time and dig deeply can find the truth there. Unfortunately, most people are too lazy to do that. They just accept what they are told by the corporate media (even if they don't fully believe it).

I fear for our democracy.