Half of Americans now believe that news organizations deliberately mislead them (fortune.com)

Article summary

A recent survey found that half of Americans believe national news organizations intend to mislead or misinform the public, with only 25% believing they do not intend to mislead. The survey also found that 52% of respondents disagreed with the statement that news organizations care about the best interests of their readers. Americans have more trust in local news than national news. The survey's findings suggest a deep distrust of the media among Americans.

Main themes

• media bias
• trust in media
• influence of advertisers
• objectivity in reporting
• political discourse
• Overton window
• editing process and fact-checking
• corporate interests

What commenters say

• The media rarely lies explicitly, but often misinforms through misinterpretation, exclusion of context, or selective reporting.
• Some argue that the media's bias is not about telling outright lies, but about cherry-picking facts and events to paint a narrative.
• The influence of advertisers on news organizations is seen as a factor in maintaining the status quo and promoting corporate interests.
• There is disagreement over whether certain news organizations, such as CNN and Fox News, are serious and objective or merely entertainment-driven.
• Some commenters believe that the problem of media bias is not just about individual organizations, but about the overall system and the lack of a true left-wing perspective in American politics.
• Others argue that the editing process and fact-checking can help account for biases, but that editors and fact-checkers can also be biased.
• The Overton window is seen as a limiting factor in American political discourse, with both left and right-wing views being constrained by the dominant narrative.
• There is a perception that some news organizations are more interested in ratings and entertainment value than in objective reporting.