Only 31% of Americans have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in mass media “when it comes to reporting the news fully, accurately and fairly,” according to Gallup poll conducted in early September. A greater number of Americans — 36% — say they have no trust at all. Going back to when Gallup first asked the question in 52 years ago, trust was highest in 1976, topping out at 72% — more than double current levels. Meanwhile, the percent expressing complete distrust has soared from single digits in ’76. Time and time again, mass media has fully earned those low marks — from cultivating the lie that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, promoting the Trump-Russia collusion hoax, echoing false narratives undergirding the unscientific, tyrannical and ultimately disastrous Covid regime, and covering up President Biden’s mental collapse, just to name a few. Social media has likely played a role, as it often provides Americans with information that contradicts mass media narratives — or provides information that mass media ignores altogether. Far fewer Republicans than Democrats have a great deal or fair amount of trust in media, by a 12% to 54% margin. However, even Democrats’ trust […]