Gallup: Few trust the MSM.. DOH!

Showing bias in Iraq war coverage

By Joseph Perkins, The Joplin Globe

A new Gallup survey is rather disquieting for those of us in the media. It finds that not even a quarter of Americans perceive either television or newspaper reporters to have “very high” or “high” standards of ethics and honesty.

There are various explanations for that perception in the eyes of the public. But one major contributing factor is the public’s perception that some of what they read on the front pages of the major dailies or watch on the evening news is politically slanted.

Indeed, the public need look no further than coverage of the war in Iraq to see prima facie evidence of media bias. (snip)

read in entirety at link above

Mata Musing

Ya think???

I'm not a huge supporter of polls. Fact is, most of the time they drive me crazy. But for those who do put stock in sampling of citizens... like the MSM themselves... I sure am pleased this one rolled around. Nothing like some cold water thrown in a body's face to wake them up. And this poll, by a respected pollster, is definitely a bucket of cold water to the press.

As is normal, reporters generally use the "half empty" mentality. 51% of American voters cast their ballots for the Cowboy Prez. But in the MSM world, the headline would blare "49% of Americans displaced by election".

This mentality conveniently disappears when the subject is the MSM themselves. Note that Mr. Perkins preferred to word the pollster results by noting "less than a quarter" had any trust. Where's the headline that should say "more than 75% distrust the media".

I won't be holding my breath, waiting to see that same negativity applied to themselves.

Perhaps it will take alot more documented negativity to pull the MSM back into line, reaffirming the basics of journalism and going back to "news" instead of constant "commentary" disguised as news. In the meantime, they're just going to have to face the facts that few are giving their words or broadcasts much creedence in the Age of Information.