Believability and the Press

In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 52, Heft 2, S. 174-189

Abstract

In a 1985/86 Gallup-organized telephone survey, believability ratings were assigned to 39 news organizations & news personalities by a nationally representative sample of 2,104 adult Ms & Fs. The data provide three major findings about the believability of the US press, all of which, at least in part, tend to be at odds with conventional wisdom & research concerning media credibility. (1) The overwhelming majority of Americans believe most of what they hear, see, or read in the nation's press. (2) Perceived believability of the news media is not closely related to political & demographic variables that typically divide US PO. (3) The public groups the news media in terms of believability, but the groupings do not equate with the dichotomy usually drawn between TV & print journalism. 4 Tables, 20 References. Modified AA