Declining Public Trust In Media

https://news.gallup.com/poll/195542/americans-trust-mass-media-sinks-new-low.aspx

   As a journalism major, it is a strange time to be entering into the media world. The public has grown less and less trustful of the media. If you listen to current president, Donald Trump and his supporters you would think that the media is evil and his enemy. So, what has actually happened to the media and why is the public trust in media at an all time low? According to Gallup polling, “only 32 % has a great deal or fair amount of trust in the media. This is down eight percent from last year.” A major factor in the rapid decline of the trust in media is due to the prior presidential election. Trump and his supporters completely turned on the media as they believed that he was unfairly treated by the media. The fact that Donald Trump coined the term “fake news” and publicly spoke out against the media only hurt the media’s reputation. The trust in media amongst Republicans has significantly decreased thanks to president Trump and his campaign. With all that being said, what can journalists do to earn back the trust of the public? I think that journalists have to go back to the basics. You’re seeing a lot of articles and posts out there quickly after an event, but a lot of times there is information missing or it is completely inaccurate. Journalists should focus on getting all the information correct and posting that, instead of being the first one to report a story with missing details. For example: Kobe Bryant’s death, it was first reported that all his daughters were on the helicopter with him and then there was a lot of confusion until it was finally reported that it was Just Kobe and his daughter Gianna. If the media could just get the stories right rather than jumping to report a story without all the information, then maybe the public will begin to gain the media’s trust back.