{"id":378877,"date":"2026-09-15T09:56:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T13:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=378877"},"modified":"2026-09-18T09:50:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T13:50:35","slug":"how-americans-think-about-corporate-and-political-influence-on-the-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/journalism\/2026\/09\/15\/how-americans-think-about-corporate-and-political-influence-on-the-news\/","title":{"rendered":"How Americans think about corporate and political influence on the news"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
About this research<\/summary>\n

This report from the\u00a0Pew-Knight Initiative<\/a>\u00a0looks at how Americans think about freedom of the press, as well as the related First Amendment concept of freedom of speech, in the United States today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why we did this<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center has asked about press freedom and free speech both domestically and globally for the past decade. The topic has become especially relevant amid the changing media environment<\/a> and the evolving concept of \u201cthe press\u201d<\/a>; the growing role of technology companies as gatekeepers<\/a> to news and information; and President Donald Trump\u2019s tense relationship with the news media<\/a>, which has led some groups and individuals to raise concerns about whether press freedom is being restricted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a good time to take a fresh look at Americans\u2019 views on press freedom in the U.S. \u2013 how they define it, what they think about its status and how they weigh it against other ongoing challenges in the news environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about\u00a0Pew Research Center<\/a>\u00a0and our\u00a0research on news habits and media<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How we did this<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We surveyed 3,507 U.S. adults from March 23 to 29, 2026, and 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to 28, 2026. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel<\/a>. The surveys represent the views of the full U.S. adult population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also conducted 10 online focus group discussions led by SSRS with 74 U.S. adults, held from May 20 to June 4, 2026. These discussions do not represent the entire U.S. population. This report shares findings and quotes from the focus groups to help illustrate and add detail to the survey results. Quotes were lightly edited for spelling, punctuation and clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the survey questions used for this report<\/a>, the detailed responses<\/a> and the methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a Pew Research Center report from the Pew-Knight Initiative, a research program funded jointly by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Find related reports online at\u00a0https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/pew-knight\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

While the First Amendment protects the press from government interference, many Americans perceive a subtler \u2013 but substantial \u2013 form of influence on U.S. news organizations from both corporate and political interests.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Americans see this influence as taking a few different forms: Most say corporate and political interests have at least somewhat of an impact on which stories get covered, the balance of political perspectives in the news and the accuracy of the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall views on these forms of influence on the news have been largely stable since 2024, but the gaps between the two major political parties on these questions have narrowed.<\/strong> Republicans have become less likely to view the government as exerting a great deal of influence on the press, and Democrats have become somewhat more likely to say they see both financial and political pressures on the media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These findings are part of a Pew Research Center study from the Pew-Knight Initiative<\/a> exploring how Americans think about freedom of the press today. Read key findings from the full study<\/a>, which included two surveys of U.S. adults and a series of 10 focus groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many see a great deal of financial and political influence in U.S. news<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A large majority of Americans say they think U.S. news organizations are at least somewhat influenced by corporate and political interests<\/strong>. This includes roughly half who say they think U.S. news organizations are influenced a great deal<\/em> by corporations and financial interests (54%) or government and political interests (49%).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Americans\u2019 views on corporate and financial influence on news are relatively stable<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Note: Respondents who did not answer are not shown.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted June 22-28, 2026. For dates of other surveys, refer to the topline<\/a>.
\u201cAmericans Value Press Freedom but Differ on Its Limits”<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
PEW-KNIGHT INITIATIVE<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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