It doesn't matter who you are. If you're awake, if you're paying attention to what's going on in the world around you, there's a good chance you don't trust the press. Considering the inarguable fact that most mainstream media outlets are little more than regurgitators for Democrat talking points, this is hardly surprising. If they ever really existed, the days of non-partisan journalistic curiosity and integrity are long gone. We know this, and we cite examples every day.
Now we have some polling that shows just how far the mighty fourth estate has fallen.
According to Gallup, only 32% of Americans still believe the lies, half-truths, and shameless propaganda being offered by the old media:
If that seems high to you, it's probably because you're not a Democrat. Despite all of their conspiracy theories about the military industrial complex, Wall Street, and "evil corporate media," Dems are actually propping up that number. Over half of them still have faith in the press, probably because they saw "All the President's Men" back in their Journalism 101 class.
Obviously, the folks running most news outlets don't care what Republicans think, so that dismal 14% probably doesn't bother them too much. It may, in fact, be a badge of honor. However, when you combine it with a similarly sad 30% from independents, it has to give them pause. The fact is, these are still businesses. Agenda is wonderful, but they still need viewers and readers.
Hey, maybe they can be saved by those young, hip, millennials we're always hearing about!
Uh-oh. They're faring pretty badly there as well. The future looks dim.
I'd suggest that these numbers could be reversed. Parity could return. Reporters could start doing their jobs - investigating Democrats with the same zeal they reserve for Republicans - and they could restore at least some of their lost credibility. It would take time, hard work, and consistency, but it's conceivably doable.
However, they're not interested in going that route.
The current crop of major media figures, in both print and television, simply don't care enough to put that kind of effort into a turnaround. To do so would disrupt their politics-as-celebrity lifestyle It would require an abandonment of their biases, and it would mean an end to the cozy relationships they've developed with their subjects.
They're perfectly happy to "ride the bomb" Slim Pickens-style - even if it means the eventual destruction of their own industry.
