Overview

• Gallup reports only 28% of adults express a great deal or fair amount of trust in newspapers, television and radio, with 70% saying they have not much or no confidence.
• This year marks the first time overall trust has dropped below 30%, as Republican confidence hits a record-low 8%, Democrats register 51% and independents 27%.
• Trust skews older: 43% of adults 65+ express confidence compared with no more than 28% in any younger age group, based on aggregated 2023–2025 data.
• Confidence has slid from 68–72% in the 1970s to 31% last year and 40% five years ago; Gallup surveyed 1,000 adults Sept. 2–16 with a ±4-point margin of error.
• Separate Morning Consult polling for The Hollywood Reporter finds higher trust for specific TV anchors than for ‘the media’ in general, while reporting highlights that community outlets like the Black Press retain trust but face financial strain.