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Poll: News media's credibility plunges to new low
Boston Globe ^ | 9/14/2009 | Michael Liedtke

Posted on 09/14/2009 12:50:07 AM PDT by Saije

The news media's credibility is sagging along with its revenue.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans think the news stories they read, hear and watch are frequently inaccurate, according to a poll released Sunday by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. That marks the highest level of skepticism recorded since 1985, when this study of public perceptions of the media was first done.

The poll didn't distinguish between Internet bloggers and reporters employed by newspapers and broadcasters, leaving the definition of "news media" up to each individual who was questioned. The survey polled 1,506 adults on the phone in late July.

The survey found that 63 percent of the respondents thought the information they get from the media was often off base. In Pew Research's previous survey, in 2007, 53 percent of the people expressed that doubt about accuracy.

The findings indicate U.S. newspapers and broadcasters could be alienating the audiences they are struggling to keep as they try to survive financial turmoil. Pew Research didn't attempt to gauge how shrinking newspapers, reduced staffs and other cutbacks at news organizations are affecting people's perceptions, although the reductions probably haven't helped, said Michael Dimock, an associate director for the center.****

The budget squeeze "means facts don't get checked as carefully as they should," according to Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times.

But he still believes many media outlets still go to great lengths to get the facts right and own up to their mistakes when the information is wrong.

"The great flood that goes under the heading `news media' has been poisoned by junk blogs, gossip sheets, shout radio and cable-TV partisans that don't deserve to be trusted," Keller told The Associated Press in an e-mail.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: 2009polls; billkeller; credibility; keller; liberalmedia; media; mediabias; news; nyslimes; nytimes; poll
Not exactly news here. And no surprise that the NY Times editor blames it on 'junk' blogs and talk radio.
1 posted on 09/14/2009 12:50:08 AM PDT by Saije
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To: Saije; conservatism_IS_compassion

Great news. The media-industrial complex is in freefall collapse, something I have hoped for, and predicted, for many years. The election of Obama was their last gasp to stave off well-deserved extinction. It will fail, has failed, and their fifty year reign of cultural terror is almost over.


2 posted on 09/14/2009 1:08:19 AM PDT by atomic conspiracy (Victory in Iraq: Worst defeat for activist media since Goebbels shot himself.)
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To: Saije

It’s truth growing in new fields. More than enough BS to fertilize it too.


3 posted on 09/14/2009 1:09:36 AM PDT by Nateman (If liberals aren't screaming you're doing it wrong.)
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To: Saije
“”The great flood that goes under the heading `news media’ has been poisoned by junk blogs, gossip sheets, shout radio and cable-TV partisans that don't deserve to be trusted,” Keller told The Associated Press in an e-mail”

Chortle!
Is this guy ***ing serious?
In what world is he living on? George Orwell's 1984?
Anyone can see that the biggest partisans on the planet and least deserving of being trusted by the public are none other then the New York Times themselves, apart from the 0bama partisans who work for the New York times of course.
I am gonna bet that id this survey had differentiated between Talk Radio and the rest of the MSM, the poll would easily have shown Talk radio with a heck of a lot more credibility than the MSM outlets like the New York Times, ABC, CBS, NBC et al.

4 posted on 09/14/2009 1:13:29 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: atomic conspiracy
The election of Obama was their last gasp to stave off well-deserved extinction”

Yup.
When the history of the MSM is finally written, the part they played in the election of and propping up of 0bama, will go down as the last straw that broke the Camel’s back.

5 posted on 09/14/2009 1:16:41 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Saije
Good I say, let them to continue to be blind and delusional so they can't “ FIX the Problem “ of why they are going under so they can ad more to their own misery and go the way of the dinosaurs
6 posted on 09/14/2009 1:23:10 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist
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To: Saije
This isn't helping them (the media):

ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in New York, NY

Nope.

7 posted on 09/14/2009 1:29:41 AM PDT by freestyle
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To: Saije
The budget squeeze "means facts don't get checked as carefully as they should," according to Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times.

Unbelievable. They really don't get it.

8 posted on 09/14/2009 1:32:08 AM PDT by giotto
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To: Saije
During the months of Obama's campaign, it was communist propaganda almost the entire time.

Since he took office, it has been all communist propaganda, all the time.

I feel like an underground Polish Resistance Fighter during WWII as I listen to secret radio transmissions, and gather information on the net.

...and all of this while fearing/defying the behavior of a totalitarian group of COMMUNIST idiots in office.

Our COMMUNIST media is pathetic!


9 posted on 09/14/2009 1:33:52 AM PDT by Prole (Please pray for the families of Chris and Channon. May God always watch over them.)
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To: Saije

On the bright side, good chance for “news media credibility” to take over “jumbo shrimp” as the #1 cited oxymoron.


10 posted on 09/14/2009 1:38:20 AM PDT by GnuHere
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To: SmokingJoe
”The great flood that goes under the heading `news media’ has been poisoned by junk blogs, gossip sheets, shout radio and cable-TV partisans that don't deserve to be trusted.”

Kind of reminds me of that COMMUNIST @sshole over the loudspeakers in the prison camp in the film, "Red Dawn."

"America is a whorehouse, whose capitalist founders were all dogs and bastards. Blah, blah, blah."


11 posted on 09/14/2009 1:41:21 AM PDT by Prole (Please pray for the families of Chris and Channon. May God always watch over them.)
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To: Saije
News media's credibility plunges to new low

And that's w/o Dan Rather!

12 posted on 09/14/2009 1:43:42 AM PDT by South40 (Islam has a long tradition of tolerance, ~Hussein Obama, June 4, 2009, Cairo, Egypt)
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To: Saije
"The great flood that goes under the heading `news media' has been poisoned by junk blogs, gossip sheets, shout radio and cable-TV partisans that don't deserve to be trusted," Keller told The Associated Press in an e-mail.

LMAO!!!
No, we should trust Dan Rather and Jayson Blair.

13 posted on 09/14/2009 1:45:30 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Saije
The poll didn't distinguish between Internet bloggers and reporters employed by newspapers and broadcasters, leaving the definition of "news media" up to each individual who was questioned.

I maintain that Pew threw this little nugget into their blurb AFTER the results came back.

14 posted on 09/14/2009 1:48:46 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Saije
( Poll: News media's credibility plunges to new low ) ...


Actually, it should say :

Poll : Obama's and News Media's credibility plunged to a new low .... since the news media is Obama all the time.
15 posted on 09/14/2009 1:48:56 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist
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To: South40
And that's w/o Dan Rather!

He's out of the office.


16 posted on 09/14/2009 2:13:19 AM PDT by Dumpster Baby (We have a Watermelon Government - Environmental Green on the outside, Commie red on the inside.)
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To: Saije
But he still believes many media outlets still go to great lengths to get the facts right and own up to their mistakes when the information is wrong.

Sure they do. The lies go on the front page, and the retractions go on page 43.

17 posted on 09/14/2009 2:21:32 AM PDT by Fresh Wind ("Prosperity is just around the corner." Herbert Hoover, 1932)
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To: Prole

They are Communists. They have done nothing in my memory to report anything good about America. All they do is run down us and the country and promote racism and division. Out with them.


18 posted on 09/14/2009 2:30:16 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (!!)
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To: Saije

So I guess the concept “Fake But Accurate” failed to catch on the way the MSM hoped it would.


19 posted on 09/14/2009 2:41:09 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: Saije
Photobucket
20 posted on 09/14/2009 2:50:11 AM PDT by mojitojoe (Socialism is just the last “feel good” step on the path to Communism and its slavery. Lenin)
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To: Saije
The budget squeeze "means facts don't get checked as carefully as they should," according to Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times.

How 'bout tryin' on this hat...? Most news reports today are so biased to the left that you're making Pravda look like the frickin' Wall Street Journal....

21 posted on 09/14/2009 2:51:13 AM PDT by freebilly ( No wonder all the left has a boner for Obama.... There's "Cialis" in "SoCIALISt")
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To: freestyle

Whats Mayor Mike going to do? Nothing


22 posted on 09/14/2009 2:59:45 AM PDT by magua
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To: Saije
Nearly two-thirds of Americans think the news stories they read, hear and watch are frequently inaccurate

That's always been the case[1]. Maybe there's hope for us after all ...

[1] "frequently" >= 90%, but at least it's a start.

23 posted on 09/14/2009 3:29:41 AM PDT by altair (I hope he fails)
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To: Saije
A while back I emailed the news director of the local radio station here, WHAM 1180 (Rush at 2:00). I asked him why the morning drive-time “news” report consisted of, in-part, Letterman’s latest anti-Palin hissy fit and more drivel about Michael Jackson’s death (this was a week or so after the weirdo expired) but no real news from the world. The news hack writes back, disavows any knowledge of Letterman’s whining and regarding dead-MJ says “…besides, everyone’s talking about it so that makes it news…” I responded that if everyone’s talking about it, that makes it gossip. No response.

Emailed him again and asked why Mark Sanford’s affair and its political aftermath is worthy of mention here in WNY, but Charlie Rangel’s felonies aren’t. Not expecting a response.

24 posted on 09/14/2009 3:36:29 AM PDT by wny
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To: Dumpster Baby

25 posted on 09/14/2009 3:43:42 AM PDT by cbkaty (I may not always post...but I am always here......)
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To: Saije
"...The poll didn't distinguish between Internet bloggers and reporters employed by newspapers and broadcasters, leaving the definition of "news media" up to each individual who was questioned..."

Stay in denial, idiots. When people are polled about the NEWS MEDIA, they aren't talking about bloggers and talk radio, but by all means, keep telling yourselves that's what they might be talking about if it makes you sleep better at night.

26 posted on 09/14/2009 3:44:42 AM PDT by smedley64 (Sun Tzu trumps Alinsky.)
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To: cbkaty

27 posted on 09/14/2009 3:53:04 AM PDT by cbkaty (I may not always post...but I am always here......)
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To: SmokingJoe
... cable-TV partisans that don't deserve to be trusted,” Keller told The Associated Press in an e-mail”

Well, in the case of Olberman, Mathews and all the other losers on MSNBC he's right.

28 posted on 09/14/2009 3:58:23 AM PDT by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: Saije

If media integrity were water we would be looking at the Sahara desert. They’ve sold their souls and every one knows it, even the left wing loons who continue to support the NY Slimes and the Washington Compost. They have lost touch with the common man and his concerns and have turned into elitist sounding boards for the latest pronouncements of our dear leader. All the while having the audacity to question why their profits are vanishing quicker than an April snow.


29 posted on 09/14/2009 4:03:15 AM PDT by RU88 (Bow to no man)
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To: Saije

Nearly two-thirds of Americans think the news stories they read, hear and watch are frequently inaccurate, according to a poll released Sunday by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Can attest to that personally.
On Saturday our local newspaper had a photo of myself and several friends holding a flag at a 9/11 ceremony in front of out local court house. It identified us as Sheriffs Deputies. None of us are. Nor were any of us wearing any type of uniform that would indicate that. Nowhere in the accompaning article did it identify us or what organization we were with.


30 posted on 09/14/2009 4:58:12 AM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (Proud to have made Communist Leader Obama's hit list at flag@whitehouse.gov)
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To: Saije

31 posted on 09/14/2009 7:41:14 AM PDT by KeyLargo
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To: raybbr
Well, in the case of Olberman, Mathews and all the other losers on MSNBC he’s right. “

You are right of course.

32 posted on 09/14/2009 9:36:41 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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