The most recent Gallup poll on trust in journalism reflects the damage done over four years of relentless attacks on “mainstream media” by then-President Trump and many Republican office holders. Conducted in September, the survey found that overall just a third of Americans have confidence that the media report the news “fully, accurately and fairly,” the same as the year before. But the partisan split on trust in the news was the widest it’s ever been. While almost three-quarters of Democrats said they trust the news media, just one in ten Republicans agreed, an all-time low.
These findings reinforce the need for journalists to do more to regain the public’s trust. If a huge part of your audience doesn’t believe you, just reporting the news the way you always have, no matter how responsibly, won’t make much difference. And it doesn’t seem wise to write those people off, given the economic state of the industry and the fragile state of our democracy.
It may seem that most of the responsibility for rebuilding public trust should lie with news organizations, not individual journalists. But reporters, producers, editors and photographers–anyone who works in the news business–can play a role. Where to start?
The good people at the Trusting News project have an idea: a self-directed course. How any journalist can earn trust is online and it’s free. It promises “tips and tools to be more transparent, more engaged and more open with your users,” all of which can help to rebuild trust.
When people call your news organization “fake” or “biased,” wouldn’t you like to know how to respond without getting defensive? When people say things that clearly indicate they have no idea how you do your job, wouldn’t you like to know how to correct those misconceptions without sounding arrogant? When people dismiss your work, lumping it in with opinion columnists or talk show hosts, wouldn’t it be useful to know how to differentiate your journalism?
I haven’t taken the course yet, but I plan to. If you’ve completed it, please share a review and tell us what you’re doing to incorporate trust-building tips in your daily routine.
