Pew: 75% of Americans say journalists can’t get their facts straight

[cal04]

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/romenesko/147038/pew-75-of-americans-say-press-cant-get-their-facts-straight/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

http://people-press.org/2011/09/22/press-widely-criticized-but-trusted-more-than-other-institutions/
Americans trust local news organizations more than any other source — including national news orgs, government and business. But that’s not saying much.

Only one-quarter of those surveyed say news orgs get the facts right, a new low since 1985 when the question was first asked. Two-thirds (66 percent) say stories are often inaccurate, a new high. And nearly three-quarters of Americans believe that journalists try to cover up their mistakes, rather than admit them.

(snip)
While Republicans have long held negative views of the media, Democrats and independents are increasingly critical of it.

The survey finds that the growth in negative attitudes toward the news media in recent years in several key areas has come among Democrats and independents. … In 2007, 43% of Democrats and 56% of independents said stories were often inaccurate. Since then, the percentage of Democrats expressing skepticism about the accuracy of news reports has increased by 21 points to 64%, and the percentage of independents saying this has grown by 10 points. Republican views have held fairly steady: 69% see stories as often inaccurate, little changed from four years ago (63%). …

(snip)
For the first time in a Pew Research Center survey, as many say that news organizations hurt democracy (42%) as protect democracy (42%).




(more at link)

[izquierdista]

1. Straight? How about "at all"?

Are there any facts to read about "occupy Wall street"? Any facts to read about people killed in drone attacks? Have many articles been written about the continuing problems with the BP oil spill and Fukushima?

I suppose I should be content that journalists are not trying to tackle those jobs, given their stellar record when the 'facts' are handed to them.

[Historic NY]

6. We have a winner. My experience even with a written press release..

they still will screw up a story. We should demmand "truth in media reporting law".

[Arkansas Granny]

2. When news is treated as entertainment, accuracy is not going to be as important

as the "look at me" factor. Most network and cable news shows are trying to attract viewers so they can charge their advertisers more. They do this by playing on peoples emotions or by sensationalism. Facts are often altered or ignored to make the story sound better.

[Name removed]

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[Leopolds Ghost]

4. It doesn't help that 75% of people in general...

Are poorly informed which is why you don't hear from them except in polls.

Of course the MSM (and the whole tradition of dependency on TV and advertising to raise and educate young upstanding consumers) is partly to blame.

[OHdem10]

5. And 75% of Americans are correct when they say Media hurts

Democracy.

Here is one of the main ways in which they hurt more than
help Democracy.

Years ago they deliberately gave up the search for truth.

Instead they made CONFLICT their centerpiece in appraoching
news stories.

They immediately look for the points of conflict in a story.
(VERY OFTEN, the Context and background material are never
even presented.

This makes it easy reporting and they apparently hope to avoid
criticism. Their opinion or thoughts are carefully avoided.
Typically, they set up a conflict story. They have a Democrat
and a Republican there to hash out the points (the Journalist
has selected) The Republican Spins the Democrat Spins and
very few real facts come out. No one ever says, who had
the truth more accurately presented? What did the Democrat
have right? Republican have right??? Where was the Democrat
not so accurate? Republican not so accurate. When is the
subject seriously discussed, ---ALMOST NEVER.

I am being over the top on this point, I am sure. They appear
to look for "Bad Things happening to young blond woment" and
chew on these stories endlessly using up air time to keep
America Dumb-downed. This is direct result of the Decision to Make News Entertainment rather than news.

We now have country with people who seem to think you can
pick what you want to believe, rewrite Histroy to suit
your world view and lie to make a point.

[pipi_k]

7. And yet...

I would like to know how many of those 75% believe, without question, what those misleading journalists are saying.

A disturbing number, from the looks of it.

[Motown_Johnny]

8. and the other 25% didn't understand the question

[mazzarro]

9. Democrats need to be more skeptical than rethugs and indies

Since news organizations are owned and run by major corporations that lean more to rethuglicans it is evident that when they put out the lies and propaganda of the right wings, democrats being less skeptical give these lies some credence that they do not deserves and hence help the rethugs achieve their goals of sowing their rotten seeds in the society. Whereas their lame-brained constituents do not take the news at face value but look for the interpretations of their almighty propagandists like Limbaugh (Limp-bone), and Hannity (Ham-and-tea) to give the news their normal spin.

The more skeptical democrats become the less likely the M$M and their lazy acolytes will find it attractive to continue with their fake news.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. I would be thrilled if they would just write the local stories they have been

censoring.

[guyton]

11. local university is closing down their journalism school ...

... and sending the students off to the drama/creative writing dept.

Ok, I made that last part up.

But on every occasion where I've had first-hand knowledge of events, I've always been disappointed in the accuracy of the reporting.

But ... that problem pales in comparison to how stories get selected ...

- it's news if there's video
- it's news if it's celebrity related
- it's news if it's entertaining
- it's news if it's potentially scary

and ...

- it's buried if it's complex, important, international in scope or or not in line with the sponsor's views.

I used to get a chuckle searching for daily for "Palin" on www.cnn.com. Now it's just kind of depressing (currently still 1 hit as I type this).

[Canuckistanian]

12. Facts are facts

The problem is, those facts are not being reported.

Instead we get a steady stream of incorrect opinions passed off as factual reporting. As a result, the public is left uninformed.