"The Public Isn't Buying Press Credibility" - Carol Doherty - Nieman Reports

The seeds of public distrust were sown long before the recent round of scandals.

Byline: Carol Doherty; 2005-06-01; Nieman Reports; 

Report: Legal and Scholarly Analysis and Commentary

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". . . A slim majority said the press was often influenced 'by powerful people and organizations.' Even higher percentages believed the news media was often influenced by the federal government (73 percent); business corporations (70 percent); advertisers (65 percent), and labor unions (62 percent). Many Americans also doubted the news media's fairness and journalists' willingness to admit mistakes."

Description:The article reviews years of surveys of press credibility over a number of years and the reasons for diminishing trust in the media from the public. Interestingly, deception in undercover investigations does not make the why list.

Rights: Access to online material.