Trust in media among Americans has fallen to an all-time low, a recent Gallup survey reveals, released on October 2.
Only 28 percent of adults reported having a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the media. This marks a decrease from 31 percent in 2024, 32 percent in 2023, 40 percent in 2020, and a high of 72 percent in 1976, shortly after Gallup began tracking media trust in 1972.
In the latest survey, conducted from September 2 to 26, just 8 percent of participants expressed a great deal of confidence in mass media, including newspapers and television, to report news fully, accurately, and fairly. Meanwhile, 20 percent indicated a fair amount of confidence, 36 percent reported not very much confidence, and 34 percent claimed to have no confidence at all.
When looking at responses by political affiliation, Republicans were the least trusting of the media. Sixty-two percent of Republican respondents stated they have no confidence, and 30 percent reported little confidence. Only 5 percent expressed a fair amount of confidence, while 3 percent said they have a great deal of confidence.
Among independents, 7 percent indicated a great deal of trust in the media, 21 percent said they have a fair amount of trust, 38 percent reported not very much trust, and 32 percent said they have none at all, with 2 percent unsure.
The majority of Democrats—51 percent—said they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the media. While this represents a majority, it ties for the lowest level of trust recorded among Democrats. Thirty-nine percent reported little trust, 9 percent expressed no trust, and 1 percent were uncertain.
Older adults showed more trust in the media, with 37 percent of those aged 55 and older reporting a great deal or fair amount of trust, compared to 21 percent of those aged 35 to 54 and 24 percent of younger adults.
Gallup noted, “With confidence fractured along partisan and generational lines, news organizations face the challenge of not only delivering fair and accurate reporting but also regaining credibility among a polarized and skeptical public.”
The September survey was conducted via telephone with adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on a random sample of 1,000 respondents. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percent.
