{"id":311689,"date":"2025-05-08T16:44:38","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T20:44:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?prc_email_campaign=americans-trust-in-news-organizations-and-social-media"},"modified":"2026-06-08T12:20:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T16:20:29","slug":"americans-trust-in-news-organizations-and-social-media","status":"publish","type":"prc_email_campaign","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/newsletter\/the-briefing\/americans-trust-in-news-organizations-and-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Americans&#8217; trust in news organizations and social media"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u2600\ufe0f Happy Thursday!<\/strong>\u00a0<em>The Briefing is your guide to the world of news and information<\/em>.<em> <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/sign-up-for-the-briefing\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/sign-up-for-the-briefing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sign up here!<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In today<em>\u2019<\/em>s email:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li><strong>Featured story:<\/strong> A papal conclave in the social media age<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>New from Pew Research Center:<\/strong> New data on Americans&#8217; trust in information from news organizations and social media<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>In other news:<\/strong> Department of Education terminates federal grant for PBS children\u2019s shows<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Looking ahead:<\/strong> New company looks to pair streaming with local TV news\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Chart of the week:<\/strong> Republicans have become more likely since 2024 to trust info from national news organizations<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd25\u00a0<strong>Featured story<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robert Francis Prevost, now <strong>Pope Leo XIV<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/live-news\/new-pope-conclave-day-two-05-08-25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">was selected today<\/a> as the first American leader of the <strong>Roman Catholic Church<\/strong> following the death of Pope Francis. The first conclave since 2013 prompted discussion about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/style\/media\/2025\/05\/06\/conclave-news-leaks-media-secrecy-chimney\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">whether any news would leak<\/a> from inside the Sistine Chapel and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecut.com\/article\/tiktok-pope-election-papal-conclave-fan-cams.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the role of social media<\/a> in\u00a0this global news event. Ahead of Leo&#8217;s selection, social media users <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/07\/world\/europe\/pope-conclave-social-media.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shared their opinions<\/a> about possible candidates.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In the U.S., most Catholics say they want the church to be more inclusive,<\/strong> even if that means changing some of its teachings, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2025\/04\/30\/most-us-catholics-say-they-want-the-church-to-be-more-inclusive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2025 Pew Research Center survey<\/a>. Majorities of U.S. Catholics say the church should allow its members to use birth control, permit priests to marry and ordain women as deacons. But Catholics who attend Mass at least weekly are less supportive of these changes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his papacy, the Argentine-born Francis \u2013 the first pope from outside Europe since the eighth century \u2013 appointed cardinals who tilted the leadership structure of the Catholic Church <strong>away from its historic European base.<\/strong> At the beginning of his papacy in 2013, 51% of voting-age cardinals were from Europe, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2025\/04\/21\/under-pope-francis-the-college-of-cardinals-became-less-european\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2025 Center analysis<\/a>. At the time of his death, 40% were European.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udea8 <strong>New from Pew Research Center<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Americans are now more likely to trust information from national news organizations, local news organizations and social media sites than they were last year, according to a new <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2025\/05\/08\/republicans-have-become-more-likely-since-2024-to-trust-information-from-news-outlets-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pew Research Center survey<\/a>. These changes are largely driven by an increase in trust among Republicans, which has coincided with President Donald Trump\u2019s return to the White House.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udccc\u00a0<strong>In other news<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li><strong>Department of Education<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/06\/us\/politics\/doe-kills-grant-pbs-childrens-shows.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">terminates federal grant<\/a> for <strong>PBS <\/strong>children\u2019s shows\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Kari Lake says<strong> Voice of America<\/strong> will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/05\/07\/nx-s1-5389453\/kari-lake-says-oans-far-right-coverage-will-fuel-voice-of-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">broadcast programming<\/a> from <strong>One America News<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Meta <\/strong>reportedly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/meta-blocks-access-muslim-news-234124412.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bans a Muslim news page in India<\/a> at the government\u2019s request\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Columbia student journalist<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cjr.org\/news\/student-journalist-columbia-covered-a-pro-palestine-protest-graduation-under-threat.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">faces threat to graduation<\/a> for covering a pro-Palestinian protest\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Influencer briefings<\/strong> at the White House include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/trump-administration\/white-house-influencer-briefings-conspiracy-theorists-rcna204437\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">an overwhelmingly right-leaning group<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li>2025 <strong>Pulitzer Prize<\/strong> winners <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/05\/05\/2025-pulitzer-winners-for-journalism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li>A look at <strong>strong revenue reports<\/strong> for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/05\/06\/fox-news-revenue-cnn-msnbc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fox News<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/05\/06\/the-guardian-us-expansion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Guardian<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/media-telecom\/new-york-times-forecasts-quarterly-subscription-revenue-growth-above-estimates-2025-05-07\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/futurism.com\/emerson-college-student-radio-zombie-ai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scammers hijacked a student radio website<\/a> and turned it into a <strong>zombie AI farm<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udcc5\u00a0<strong>Looking ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A news organization is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niemanlab.org\/2025\/05\/the-local-aims-to-reinvent-tv-news-in-four-states-and-beyond\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">looking to transform the business model for local TV news<\/a>. <strong>The Local<\/strong> plans to create a network of new bureaus in every state, <strong>securing funding from contracts with streaming platforms <\/strong>instead of a reliance on advertising. This comes amid a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/03\/04\/scripps-layoffs-broadcast-tv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent trend of layoffs<\/a> for local TV news stations, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/business\/media\/pbs-npr-public-media-budgets-trump-executive-order-520549eb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">potential budget cuts at the national level<\/a> for local public media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>There is evidence that local TV news audiences have shrunk<\/strong> in a <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/journalism\/2024\/05\/07\/americans-changing-relationship-with-local-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2024 Center study<\/a>: About a third of U.S. adults (32%) say they prefer to get their local news via television, down from 41% in 2018.<br>\u00a0<br>Meanwhile, Americans are <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/journalism\/2024\/05\/07\/sources-of-local-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increasingly getting local news online<\/a>, even when it comes to content from local TV stations. Among Americans who say they get news from local TV, <strong>a majority (62%) still say they primarily access it on a television set, but 37% say they mainly access that information online<\/strong> \u2013 whether from a TV station\u2019s website, app, email newsletter or social media posts.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udcca\u00a0<strong>Chart of the week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This week&#8217;s chart is from our <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2025\/05\/08\/republicans-have-become-more-likely-since-2024-to-trust-information-from-news-outlets-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new analysis of Americans&#8217; trust<\/a> in information from news organizations and social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Americans are now more likely to say they trust information from national news organizations than they were last year. This is largely driven by an increase in trust among Republicans: Around half (53%) now say they have at least some trust in national news organizations, a 13 percentage point increase from September 2024. Between 2016 and 2024, Republicans\u2019 trust in the national news media declined substantially.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Republicans remain much less likely than Democrats (81%) to trust national news organizations. Levels of trust among Democrats have remained relatively stable over the past decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/05\/SR_25.05.08_media-trust_1.png\" alt=\"Republicans have become more likely since 2024 to trust info from news organizations, social media sites\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\ud83d\udc4b That&#8217;s all for this week.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Briefing is compiled by Pew Research Center staff, including Naomi Forman-Katz, Jacob Liedke, Christopher St. Aubin, Luxuan Wang and Emily Tomasik. It is edited by Michael Lipka and copy edited by Anna Jackson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Do you like this newsletter? Email us at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:journalism@pewresearch.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">journalism@pewresearch.org<\/a> or fill out this <a href=\"https:\/\/us1.list-manage.com\/survey?u=434f5d1199912232d416897e4&amp;id=449f3c3d35&amp;attribution=false\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/us1.list-manage.com\/survey?u=434f5d1199912232d416897e4&amp;id=449f3c3d35&amp;attribution=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">two-question survey<\/a> to tell us what you think<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2600\ufe0f Happy Thursday!\u00a0The Briefing is your guide to the world of news and information. Sign up here! In today\u2019s email: \ud83d\udd25\u00a0Featured story Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was selected today as the first American leader of the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis. The first conclave since 2013 prompted discussion [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5595,"template":"","meta":{"sub_headline":"","sub_title":"","_prc_public_revisions":[],"_ppp_expiration_hours":0,"_ppp_enabled":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","prc_watchers":[],"footnotes":"","prc_email_subject":"Americans' trust in news organizations and social media","prc_email_preview_text":"Plus, a papal conclave in the social media age, Education Department terminates federal grant for PBS children\u2019s shows","prc_email_template_slug":"","prc_email_mailchimp_audience_id":"","prc_email_mailchimp_segment_id":"","prc_email_mailchimp_campaign_id":"","prc_email_mailchimp_campaign_admin_url":"","prc_email_mailchimp_campaign_status":"","prc_email_mailchimp_pending_send_at":"","prc_email_mailchimp_delayed_send_cancelled":""},"categories":[],"bylines":[],"prc_newsletter_list":[3083],"_post_visibility":[2643],"formats":[],"workflow-status":[],"class_list":["post-311689","prc_email_campaign","type-prc_email_campaign","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","_post_visibility-hidden-on-index"],"label":"Newsletter","post_parent":0,"word_count":790,"canonical_url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/newsletter\/the-briefing\/americans-trust-in-news-organizations-and-social-media\/","charts":[],"art_direction":{"A1":{"id":"5595","rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png?w=564&h=317&crop=1","width":564,"height":317,"chartArt":false},"A2":{"id":"5595","rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png?w=268&h=151&crop=1","width":268,"height":151,"chartArt":false},"A3":{"id":"5595","rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png?w=194&h=110&crop=1","width":194,"height":110,"chartArt":false},"A4":{"id":"5595","rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png?w=268&h=151&crop=1","width":268,"height":151,"chartArt":false},"XL":{"id":"5595","rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png?w=720&h=405&crop=1","width":720,"height":405,"chartArt":false},"social":{"id":"5595","rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/07\/briefing_featured_image_2-1.png?w=1200&h=628&crop=1","width":1200,"height":628,"chartArt":false}},"_embeds":[],"prc_checklist":{},"watchChildPosts":false,"watchers":[],"table_of_contents":[],"datacite_doi":"","prc_seo_data":{"title":"Americans&#8217; trust in news organizations and social media","description":"\u2600\ufe0f Happy Thursday!\u00a0The Briefing is your guide to the world of news and information. 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