Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research | American Press Institute
Americans and the News Media: What they do — and don't — understand about each other Page i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Implications ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
About the study .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
WHAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS FROM THE PRESS (AND WHAT JOURNALISTS
THINK) ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
The public and journalists expect the same things from the news media. The public just doesn’t
think it’s getting it. ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
How hard it is to distinguish news from opinion ..................................................................................................................................... 7
WHAT AMERICANS KNOW, AND DON’T, ABOUT HOW JOURNALISM WORKS ..................................... 9
Most people know what anonymous sources are, but not why journalists use them. .............................................. 11
What people think the term “fake news” really means ......................................................................................................................13
What journalists think of fake news ................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Transparency as a way of increasing trust ................................................................................................................................................. 16
The public is somewhat positive about what drives journalists to cover a story. ....................................................... 18
HOW DOES PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH NEWS AFFECT A PERSON’S VIEWS? ............................ 19
Education and hands-on experience factor into trust and understanding. ....................................................................... 19
How interactions with journalists or involvement in news coverage affects understanding and
trust in news ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Journalists interact with the public more frequently on social media than through interviews. ................... 24
LEVELS OF TRUST AND HOW AMERICANS FEEL ABOUT THE FAIRNESS AND
ACCURACY OF THE PRESS ........................................................................................................................................ 25
Trust in the media overall has declined in the last year, but people’s trust in their favorite news
outlets has grown. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
How Republicans and Democrats view press accuracy ................................................................................................................. 30
Where do Americans think the news industry is going? .................................................................................................................31
The public is divided on whether the media protects or hurts democracy. ......................................................................31
HOW AMERICANS DESCRIBE THEIR NEWS CONSUMPTION BEHAVIORS ............................................ 33
Americans say they frequently scan headlines and also read stories in-depth, but pay attention
to opinion content less often. .................................................................................................................................................................................. 33
ARE NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIBERS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OR APPROVING OF
THE NEWS MEDIA? ...................................................................................................................................................... 35
Newspaper subscribers hold more positive views of many specific types of media — and have
an easier time deciphering news from opinion — than do non-subscribers. .................................................................... 35
While subscribers are more likely to think the media protects democracy, they agree the
industry is headed in the wrong direction. ................................................................................................................................................. 37
HOW YOUNGER AND OLDER AMERICANS UNDERSTAND AND INTERACT WITH
NEWS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Older Americans have more positive views about the accuracy and trustworthiness of the
media. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
Older adults have more positive views of TV news outlets, while younger adults tend to have
more favorable attitudes toward social media. ....................................................................................................................................... 39
Although young adults are more likely to have taken a media literacy class or started a blog,
older adults report more familiarity with common journalistic terms. ................................................................................ 40