The Poynter institute has a breakdown of a new Sacred Heart University media study. The study, “Trust and Satisfaction with the National News Media,” surveyed 800 Americans on their feelings toward the national news media and the TV news nets:
Only one-quarter said they believe all or most of news media reporting. The most-trusted television news organization was Fox News (30 percent), but it also was cited as the least-trusted (26.2 percent). Also listed as most-trusted were CNN (19.5 percent), ABC News (7.5 percent) and NBC News (7.5 percent).
Other findings from the study itself:
• When given a list of 25 anchors, “the top six mentioned as most trusted were Charles Gibson (19.8%), Brian Williams (17.3%), Katie Couric (9.9%), Bill O’Reilly (9.3%), Tom Brokaw (8.0%) and Jim Lehrer (2.4%).”
• Almost 90% say the “national media played a very or somewhat strong role in helping to elect President Obama.”
• Six-to-one, respondents would rather have seen reporting on “the life of 1st Lieutenant Brian Bradshaw who was killed fighting in Afghanistan than that of entertainer Michael Jackson following their deaths on June 25, 2009.”