According to the latest Gallup survey released on Thursday, only 28% of American adults express “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in the media, compared to 31% in 2024, 32% in 2023, and 40% in 2020, showing a continuous decline. This trust level is far below the peak of 72% in 1976, marking a historic low in the trust of news media in the United States.
The survey results indicate that only 8% of respondents express “a great deal of trust” in newspapers, television, and other mainstream media to report news comprehensively, fairly, and accurately, while 20% say they have “quite a lot of trust,” 36% have “not very much trust,” and 34% have “no trust at all.”
Regarding political affiliation, Republicans show the lowest level of trust in the media. 62% of Republican respondents outright express “no trust at all,” with 30% stating “not very much trust,” 5% saying “quite a lot of trust,” and only 3% expressing “a great deal of trust.”
Among independents, 7% say they have “a great deal of trust,” 21% express “quite a lot of trust,” 38% have “not very much trust,” and 32% have “no trust at all.”
In contrast, Democrats exhibit relatively higher levels of trust, with 51% expressing “a great deal of trust” or “quite a lot of trust” in the media. However, this percentage is also at a historic low for the party, with 39% indicating “not very much trust” and 9% expressing “no trust at all.”
The survey shows that older age groups have higher levels of trust in the media. Among adults aged 55 and above, 37% express trust in the media, while only 21% of the 35 to 54 age group and 24% of the under-35 young population do so.
Gallup points out in its report that the cracks in media trust not only reflect partisan positions but also highlight generational differences. Rebuilding credibility in the face of political polarization and public skepticism poses a serious challenge for news organizations.
The survey was conducted from September 2 to 26 through random telephone interviews with 1,000 adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a sampling error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points.