A recent survey by Pew Research Center highlights the contrasting trust levels in news sources among Democrats and Republicans. Notably, two business-oriented publications, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, stand out as the only media outlets trusted more than distrusted by supporters of both parties.
The findings, released on Tuesday, reveal a significant divide in how each party views different news sources. Republicans tend to have more limited trust, favoring around eight sources, while Democrats express more trust toward 23 outlets.
Among Republican respondents, Fox News Channel leads with 56% trust, followed by the Joe Rogan podcast at 31%. In contrast, Democrats showed a stronger affinity for traditional media, with 13 sources meeting their trust threshold, including CNN and PBS.
Interestingly, the Joe Rogan podcast demonstrates the stark differences between the parties. Forty percent of Democrats reported distrust, while only 3% expressed trust in his show. This divide reflects broader sentiments, as around two-thirds of Democrats distrust Fox News, though 19% do trust it. Among Republicans, 21% express distrust toward Fox.
When it comes to PBS, 23% of Republicans expressed trust, compared to 59% of Democrats who report a favorable view. This disparity comes amid discussions led by Republican figures like Donald Trump, who is pushing to cut federal funding for PBS, citing perceived liberal bias. The survey shows that opinions among Republicans about PBS are quite mixed.
Conversely, NPR faces significant distrust from Republicans, while Democrats overwhelmingly support it. According to Pew’s survey, 47% of Democrats trust NPR, compared to just 3% of Republicans.
Elisa Shearer, a senior researcher at Pew, noted the ongoing polarization in the media landscape, suggesting it remains unclear if attitudes will change over time. A previous survey indicated a slight uptick in trust among Republicans towards national news organizations, rising from 40% to 53%. However, it’s uncertain how much this increase is influenced by the changing political climate.
In total, the survey consulted 9,482 U.S. adults in mid-March. PBS has argued that cuts to funding would jeopardize essential public services, emphasizing the importance of diverse media access for the American people.
