Most say journalists should be watchdogs, but views of how well they fill this role vary by party, media diet
Nearly three out of four U.S. adults say that, in general, it’s important for journalists to function as watchdogs over elected officials.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Journalism
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Americans’ news fatigue isn’t going away – about two-thirds still feel worn out
66% of Americans feel worn out by the amount of news there is these days – a feeling that has persisted for several years now.
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Concern about influence of made-up news on the election is lowest among those paying the least attention
Concern is highest among people who follow political news most closely, older adults and those who display more knowledge about politics in general.
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Fast facts about the newspaper industry’s financial struggles as McClatchy files for bankruptcy
U.S. newspaper circulation fell in 2018 to its lowest level since 1940, and newspaper revenues declined dramatically between 2008 and 2018.
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Confidence in public acceptance of election results connects to following political news, relying on social media
Americans who closely follow political news are more likely to have confidence that the public will accept election results. And that’s true across party boundaries.
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Democrats, Republicans each expect made-up news to target their own party more than the other in 2020
There’s broad concern among Democrats and Republicans about the influence that made-up news could have during the 2020 presidential election.
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A sore subject: Almost half of Americans have stopped talking politics with someone
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to have stopped discussing political and election news with someone: 50% vs. 41%, respectively.
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An oasis of bipartisanship: Republicans and Democrats distrust social media sites for political and election news
Both Democrats and Republicans express far more distrust than trust of social media sites as sources for political and election news.
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Views about Ukraine-impeachment story connect closely with where Americans get their news
Many Democrats and Republicans hold divergent views of President Donald Trump’s withholding of military aid to Ukraine. But in today’s fragmented news media environment, party identification may not be the only fault line.
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U.S. Media Polarization and the 2020 Election: A Nation Divided
As the U.S. enters a heated 2020 presidential election year, Republicans and Democrats place their trust in two nearly inverse news media environments.
