A recent study conducted by Syracuse University titled “The American Journalist Under Attack” revealed a significant drop in the percentage of full-time U.S. journalists who identify as Republicans over the last decade. Instead, an increasing number of journalists now identify as Democrats or Independents. According to the study, only 3.4 percent of journalists in 2022 identified as Republicans, compared to 36.4 percent as Democrats and 51.7 percent as Independents.
The survey pointed out the declining trend of Republicans in the journalism industry over the years. In 1971, 25.7 percent of journalists identified as Republicans, which dropped to 3.4 percent by 2022. On the other hand, the percentage of journalists identifying as Democrats has remained relatively steady at around 35 percent over the decades.
In the recent survey, 60.1 percent of journalists expressed concerns about the direction of journalism in the United States, believing that it is heading in the wrong direction. Major issues identified included declining public trust in the news media, shrinking local and community news coverage, perceived bias and opinion journalism, fake news, and a disrupted business model.
The study, based on an online survey of 1,600 U.S. journalists, also examined journalists’ use of social media in their daily work, job satisfaction, women in the journalism workplace, comparative pay between genders, educational levels, and other topics.
The trust in the mass media in the U.S. has also been declining, as per an October Gallup poll. Only 32 percent of Americans reported having trust in the mass media, and sharp partisan divisions were observed in Americans’ views of the media. Only 11 percent of Republicans showed trust in the media, a significant decrease from previous years.
Along with a decline in trust in the media, confidence in U.S. institutions has also been eroding, as shown in a Gallup poll from July. In terms of honesty and ethical standards across various professions, 42 percent of Americans rated journalists as “very low” or “low,” while only 23 percent viewed them highly.
Another survey from Pew Research Center revealed a stark difference between journalists and the general public in their views on “both-sides-ism,” where journalists must always seek to provide equal coverage to all sides of an issue. While 55 percent of journalists insisted that every side does not always deserve equal coverage, 76 percent of Americans wanted news coverage to be balanced.
These polls and surveys collectively illustrate an overall decline in trust and confidence in the media and journalism industry among the American public. Further, the data reflect the polarized political climate in the U.S. and the impact it has had on media perceptions and credibility.
Naveen Athrappully contributed to this report.
