Amidst a surge of distrust in national news organizations, a recent survey has revealed an alarming lack of faith in the accuracy of their reporting. According to the survey, half of Americans believe that these outlets intend to mislead, misinform or persuade the public to adopt a particular point of view. Only a quarter of respondents agreed that national news organizations do not intend to mislead, while the remaining 50% disagreed.

The survey also asked respondents to weigh in on the statement that disseminators of national news “care about the best interests of their readers, viewers and listeners.” 52% of respondents disagreed with the statement, furthering the notion that many Americans have lost faith in the reliability of national news organizations.

Furthermore, according to 61% of Americans, it is more difficult to stay informed given the present rapid pace of the news cycle and the growing quantity of news sources. In a quest for more trustworthy sources, many people have now turned away from national news organizations. In fact, only 32% of Americans said they closely follow local news, down from 56% in early 2020.

The survey results should serve as a wake-up call to news organizations to increase their transparency and accountability. If the media wants to regain the trust of Americans, they must step up their efforts to provide accurate and unbiased reporting.