Journalists seen as slightly more believable than used-car salesmen

[oxbow]

News media's credibility crumbling
Journalists seen as slightly more believable than used-car salesmen
http://foi.missouri.edu/mediacredibility/nmcredcrumbling.html

By Timothy W. Maier
Insight Magazine
May 8, 2004

President Bush recently turned to Brit Hume of Fox News and told him flat out that he prefers to get his "news" from White House and national-security staff, rather than as reports from journalists. Though that may have stunned the media elite, many ordinary Americans cheered. For two decades polls increasingly have indicated public dismay at the spin and fantasies of the press.

In fact, a recent Gallup Poll says Americans rate the trustworthiness of journalists at about the level of politicians and as only slightly more credible than used-car salesmen. The poll suggests that only 21 percent of Americans believe journalists have high ethical standards, ranking them below auto mechanics but tied with members of Congress.

More precisely, the poll notes that only one in four people believe what they read in the newspapers. Chicago Tribune Editor Charles M. Madigan may have put it best when he offered this advice: "If you are a journalist, you should probably just assume that you come across as a liar."


I may be affected by the whole framing Newsweek business right now, but I say good riddance. When the "free" press allows one of their own to be singled out and scapegoated like this, it cheapens the truth and drives yet another stake through the corpse of the US media. They should have stood up together against this attempt to blame the White Houses' foreign relation problems on the "liberal media." They should have stood for truth, justice and all those other principles which used to be American points of pride. They should be dispelling lies and deceit, not spreading it around.


So who will fill the news vacuum that results from this meltdown? Will it become a manichaean news landscape, with conservative and liberal news outlets going at it? Will local papers become more prominent as the conglomerates go belly-up? Will the conglomerates finally change their evil ways as they lose more and more money? Any trends you notice?

[Straight Shooter]

1. And a big fat round of applause to Judith Miller of The New York Times

for helping to contribute more than most to this atmosphere of distrust.

And let's not forget bush's boyfriend, Jiffy-Lube Jeff.

[Warpy]

2. Most of us should feel vindicated, because the American people

are not nearly as stupid as the present junta thinks they are.

It's only a matter of time before this starts translating into dropped subscriptions, viewer boycotts, and other actions that will sharply decrease their advertising revenue. That's what is going to kick them hardest. They don't give a rip that people know they're bald faced liars and thieves. They do care when the money starts to dry up.

[oxbow]

3. It's a sad day when people trust politicians more than journalists

hopefully the bottom has been reached though, and they will finally get it: we can handle the truth!