Media Criticism and mistrust on journalists is on the rise

Eva Rodríguez

---

The public criticism of media outlets has been on the rise in the past few years. People no longer only rely on news outlets to get information and understand reality. In fact, many people go against journalism, attacking it. The Reuters Institute’s Media news Report shows that Media Criticism often comes from a constructed and reviewed view towards journalists or outlets who are biased, inaccurate or hypocritical. However, attacks do not always come from reasoned motives. Political agendas or interests sometimes cross with what media exposes. 42% of people surveyed for the report had heard media criticism from politicians. This makes the media the target of political attacks, such as verbal abuse, and co-ordinated harassment. This type of scrutiny is more experienced among female journalists or journalists from minorities. 

Constant battering can develop into mistrust from the public towards journalism. In fact, trust has become a major factor in news. Studies show that criticism towards media and journalists is directly linked with it. Countries with lower levels of trust have higher reports of media criticism. These are the cases of Greece or the Philippines. Other countries like Finland, Norway or Japan, in which trust is higher, also have a lower level of media criticism. 

Even though this type of phenomenon can be more proficient in underdeveloped countries or authoritarian or totalitarian regimes, the United States is one of the countries in which constant attacks against their media happen more, often revolving around accusations of fake news. Moreover, the US population is one of the least trusting of their news, with only a percentage of 32% of the whole country who fully believe in the certainty of the information they are receiving, trust falling the most during Trump’s time in the White House. 

Source: PROPORTION THAT TRUSTS MOST NEWS MOST OF THE TIME (2015–2023) – SELECTED COUNTRIES. Digital News Report 2023 by Reuters Institute

It is important to note that media criticism can sometimes be necessary in counties such as the United Kingdom, which has protections that allow journalists to be brutally critical towards public figures, an allowance that can make the media cause unfair harm to individuals. However, in countries that do not protect journalists or have less press freedoms it is vital for journalism to stay afloat. Media must fight against scrutiny from high powers like the government or companies in order to not be silenced and continue to communicate to the population, restoring their trust.