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Poll: Few Americans Trust Media
NewsMax ^ | 1/13/05 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 01/13/2005 6:30:30 PM PST by wagglebee

A new Harris Poll measures the levels of trust which Americans have in important institutions, and compares the results with those in a virtually identical European survey. For many institutions the levels of trust, or distrust, on both sides of the Atlantic were similar. There were also some striking differences.

Americans showed much less trust than Europeans in the media and in the United Nations. On the other hand, Americans, more than Europeans, trust religious institutions. Both Americans and Europeans had relatively high levels of trust in their police and military. Both Americans and Europeans had very little trust in political parties, their governments, trade unions and big business.

The American data are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 2,092 adults surveyed online between December 8 and 15, 2004. The European data come from the Eurobarometer survey of adults in the 25 member countries of the European Union surveyed nine months earlier in February and March 2004.

American attitudes toward the press, radio and television were much more negative than European attitudes. Specifically:

- A 62 to 22 percent (almost 3-to-1) majority of Americans did not trust "the press"; Europeans were split 47 to 46 percent.

- A modest 43 to 33 percent plurality of Americans were inclined to trust the radio; a larger than 2-to-1 majority (62% to 29%) of Europeans did so.

- A substantial 58 to 22 percent majority of Americans did not trust television; a 54 to 39 percent majority of Europeans did trust TV.

In the five largest EU countries:

- Trust in radio was above 55 percent everywhere and highest in Spain and France (67%).

- Trust in the press was highest in Spain (61%) and France (60%) and lowest in the U.K. (20%) -- with its own special mass market tabloid journalism.

- Trust in television was highest in Germany (59%) and the U.K. (54%) and lowest in Italy (37%) where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi owns several powerful networks.

Majorities in both the United States and Europe did not trust their politicians or their governments. A plurality of Europeans trusted the United Nations, while a plurality of Americans distrusted the U.N. Specifically:

- Very large majorities of both Americans (77% to 8%) and Europeans (77% to 14%) distrusted political parties.

- Substantial majorities of both Americans (55% to 27%) and Europeans (63% to 28%) distrusted their governments.

- A substantial majority of Americans (56% to 22%) distrusted the Congress. A substantial majority of Europeans (57% to 32%) distrusted their parliaments or elected chambers.

- A 44 to 30 percent plurality of Americans tended not to trust the United Nations. In contrast, in Europe, a 49 to 34 percent plurality were inclined to trust the U.N.

Trust in other institutions:

Large majorities of between 3-to-1 and 2-to-1 trusted the police and the military in both the United States and in Europe. Large majorities also trusted charitable and voluntary organizations. On the other hand, very large majorities in both the U.S. (70% to 12%) and in Europe (60% to 26%) distrusted big companies. Adults also tended not to trust trade unions in both the U.S. (51% to 19%) and Europe (50% to 34%). When it comes to justice and legal systems, Europeans were split with 45 percent trusting their systems and 47 percent distrusting them. In the U.S. a 47 to 36 percent plurality did not trust the legal system.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: eu; harrispoll; mediabias; mediatrust; un
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This just further proves to me how totally out of touch the Eurosocialists are.
1 posted on 01/13/2005 6:30:36 PM PST by wagglebee
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To: wagglebee

Alternative headline: Survey Shows Europeans Strikingly Gullible.


2 posted on 01/13/2005 6:33:57 PM PST by A_perfect_lady (Let them eat cake.)
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To: A_perfect_lady
Another alternative headline:
Most Europeans Just Plain Stink!
3 posted on 01/13/2005 6:37:12 PM PST by wagglebee (Memo to sKerry: the only thing Bush F'ed up was your career)
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To: A_perfect_lady
"Survey Ahows US MSM Already Aead"

Now most recognize that the MSM are only 'Rat zombies.

4 posted on 01/13/2005 6:37:50 PM PST by Paladin2 (SeeBS News - We Decide, We Create, We Report - In that order! - ABC - Already Been Caught)
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To: Paladin2

Ahows=Shows, especially with fat fingers.


5 posted on 01/13/2005 6:38:35 PM PST by Paladin2 (SeeBS News - We Decide, We Create, We Report - In that order! - ABC - Already Been Caught)
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To: Paladin2

Aead=Dead, I've really got to watch this programmable keyboard.


6 posted on 01/13/2005 6:39:27 PM PST by Paladin2 (SeeBS News - We Decide, We Create, We Report - In that order! - ABC - Already Been Caught)
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To: wagglebee

You know in the Clint Eastwood movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales" Josie's renegade leader says to his Union captor, "Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining!!!". The MSM should heed those very words, because that is the way the overwhelming majority of Americans feel about the MSM. The MSM better get real, and get with the program of fair and balanced reporting or it will not be meaningful at all as the future unfolds. The handwriting is clearly on the wall. Problem is, they all live in a bubble and are lost at sea.


7 posted on 01/13/2005 6:40:40 PM PST by JLAGRAYFOX
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To: Paladin2

How do you spell "Aceh"?


8 posted on 01/13/2005 6:41:14 PM PST by BunnySlippers (When it comes to humility, I'm the greatest! - Bullwinkle J. Moose)
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To: wagglebee

The most accurate part of the newspaper is the sports page. Too many people know what really happened.


9 posted on 01/13/2005 6:43:57 PM PST by mark502inf
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To: wagglebee
looks like the left wing is making some progress in undermining public trust - of course, they are by no means the only cause
10 posted on 01/13/2005 6:45:27 PM PST by Texas_Jarhead (I believe in American Exceptionalism! Do you?)
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To: wagglebee
"- A modest 43 to 33 percent plurality of Americans were inclined to trust the radio; a larger than 2-to-1 majority (62% to 29%) of Europeans did so."

Rush needs to establish the EIB International Institute. Spanish, French, German and Italian courses. Sort of like a Voice of America:) Shortwave goes far over over those little countries.

11 posted on 01/13/2005 6:51:14 PM PST by BobS
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To: wagglebee

Recent proof of media bias is seen in the Dan Rather stories. Almost none mention FreeRepublic's role in finding the truth. Yet when the Dem's undercover something, such as Newt's stolen phone calls, the Dem's are invited to a Couric interview. Not so with this story.


12 posted on 01/13/2005 6:55:32 PM PST by aimhigh
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To: mark502inf
LOL.......so right....the sports page and weekend entertainment stuff is all I read. I don't even read the main body anymore cause you get all that stuff on cable or on the internet so much faster and fairer
13 posted on 01/13/2005 6:58:01 PM PST by NorCalRepub
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To: wagglebee
I follow Free Republic for one reason: It is the best news teletype.

I am interested in what happened.

The news media expound on why it happened.

There, is the polarization, or, if you will, yet another wall of separation that liberals cannot live without, in order to keep the truth of their lives from themselves.

14 posted on 01/13/2005 7:29:39 PM PST by First_Salute (May God save our democratic-republican government, from a government by judiciary.)
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To: NorCalRepub

What MEDIA?


15 posted on 01/13/2005 7:30:43 PM PST by jocko12
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To: First_Salute

And a salute to you.


16 posted on 01/13/2005 7:31:17 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (>The government of our country was meant to be a servant of the people, not a master.)
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To: wagglebee

never ever trust media!


17 posted on 01/13/2005 7:38:24 PM PST by Khashayar
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To: mark502inf

"The most accurate part of the newspaper is the sports page. Too many people know what really happened."

Your comment says it all. Good one!


18 posted on 01/13/2005 7:43:14 PM PST by mplsconservative
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To: wagglebee

Yes, but the media reported that poll. Should I trust it?


19 posted on 01/13/2005 7:44:18 PM PST by durasell (Friends are so alarming, My lover's never charming...)
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To: wagglebee

It's not surprising that Europeans trust the UN. It gives Great Britain and France a huge increase in political power and influence because of their seats in the Security Council. Without that, France would be nothing.

And although UN headquarters are in NYC, the UN employs a great many more Europeans as bureaucrats than it does Americans and has many branch offices in Europe. Americans are severely underrepresented as permanent employees.

The UN is run by a coalition of Europeans, Africans, Arabs, Latin Americans, and Asians, with the Chinese and Russians having important roles because of their Security Council Seats and military power. America has had increasingly less influence over the years, despite occasional fears of offending Uncle Moneybags.


20 posted on 01/13/2005 8:21:50 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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