Pew: CNN Still The “Most Trusted Name In News,” But Not By Much

CNN’s promotional tagline, “the most trusted name in news,” is becoming less and less trustworthy. The cable news net still ranks as the most believable television news source — just barely. The latest Pew news consumption survey says: “In 1998, 42% of those familiar enough with CNN to rate the network said they believed all or most of what CNN reported, significantly more than for any broadcast or cable news outlet tested. Today, just 28% give CNN the highest believability rating, a share which is statistically indistinguishable from most other television news sources.”

In other words, “no outlet stands out as most reliable.” 60 Minutes comes in second behind CNN, with 27 percent believing “all or most.”

In the last two years, Democrats have become more skeptical of CNN (and other news outlets). “In 2004, 45% of Democrats gave CNN the highest ratings for credibility, compared with 26% of Republicans. There has been a 13 percentage point drop in views of CNN’s credibility among Democrats in the past two years, significantly shrinking the difference in opinion across party lines.” FNC, on the other hand, “receives the highest credibility rating among Republicans and one of the lowest ratings among Democrats.”

Most Americans “generally give positive credibility ratings” to all the major broadcast sources. “But the share who say they generally do not believe what they see and hear has grown across the board.” Details…