Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for July 3, 2018
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
July 3, 2018: A Gallup/Knight Foundation survey found American adults believe that “an average of 62% of the news they see on television, read in newspapers or hear on the radio is biased.”[1]
Not surprisingly, Republicans (77%) and conservatives (77%) perceive higher levels of bias than Democrats (44%) and liberals (48%).
Perhaps the most fascinating finding in the data is the perceived difference between news from traditional media and social media. Among Democrats and liberals, there is a wide gap, with traditional media outlets being considered far less biased. However, among Republicans and conservatives, there is virtually no difference in perceived bias between social media and traditional media.
As shown above, it’s not that Republicans and conservatives place more trust in social media than others; it’s just that they don’t view traditional media as any less biased.
These attitudes are reflected in the public debate over what's commonly referred to as fake news. Many on the political left see traditional news outlets as legitimate news sources. Many on the right see them as purveyors of fake news.
An earlier Number of the Day noted that just 13 percent of Americans give the media top marks for reporting both sides of political issues.
The news media is not the only institution suffering from a lack of public confidence. It’s been 45 years since a majority of Americans have trusted the federal government.
On a related topic, 80 percent of voters believe fear of being politically incorrect leads to bad business or political decisions.
Fortunately, despite concerns about media bias and political correctness, 67 percent of Americans believe free speech ensures the truth will eventually win out.
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- July 2, 2018 – 122 years ago yesterday, Harriet Beecher Stowe died
- June 29, 2018 – 17 percent of millennials receive financial support from parents
- June 28, 2018 – 56 percent of U.S. adults “absolutely certain” to vote, near historic low
- June 27, 2018 – 38 years old: median age of Americans, highest ever
- June 26, 2018 – 32 percent of Americans interested in soccer
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
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Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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