Modern Politics

Understanding American politics in the digital age through neutral historical analysis.

Trust in Media

Percentage of U.S. adults expressing trust and confidence in mass media, 1997–2025

Last updated: 2025-10-02

28% ↓
Overall Trust (2025)
Trust in mass media fell to 28% in 2025, the lowest level since Gallup began annual tracking in 1997
43 pts ↑
Partisan Gap (2025)
Democrats (51%) and Republicans (8%) differ by 43 percentage points on trust in media
55% →
Peak Trust (1998–1999)
Trust in mass media reached its highest level in the annual tracking series in 1998 and 1999
8% ↓
Republican Trust (2025)
Republican trust in media dropped to single digits for the first time in the trend

Trust in Mass Media Over Time

Date All Adults (%) Democrats (%) Independents (%) Republicans (%) Source
1997 53——— [1]
1998 55——— [1]
1999 55——— [1]
2000 51——— [1]
2001 53——— [1]
2002 54——— [1]
2003 54——— [1]
2004 44——— [2]
2005 50——— [3]
2009 45——— [4]
2010 43——— [4]
2011 44——— [5]
2012 40——— [6]
2013 44——— [5]
2014 40543827 [7]
2015 40553332 [8]
2016 32513014 [9]
2017 41——— [10]
2018 45764221 [10]
2019 41693615 [11]
2020 40733610 [12]
2021 36683111 [13]
2022 34702714 [14]
2023 32582911 [15]
2024 31542712 [16]
2025 2851278 [17]

Context

Gallup has tracked Americans' trust and confidence in mass media annually since 1997, asking whether people have a "great deal," "fair amount," "not very much," or no confidence at all in the media to report news fully, accurately, and fairly. From 1997 through 2003, slim majorities consistently expressed at least a fair amount of trust, with the measure peaking at 55% in 1998 and 1999. A sharp 10-point drop in 2004 brought trust to 44%, and the measure has not returned to majority territory since.

The decline has accelerated in recent years and become increasingly shaped by partisanship. In 2016, trust hit what was then a record low of 32% as Republican confidence collapsed from 32% to 14% during a divisive presidential campaign. A brief recovery brought the overall figure back to 45% in 2018, but the rebound proved short-lived. By 2022, the share of Americans expressing no trust at all exceeded the share expressing trust for the first time.

The partisan gap has widened substantially. In the early 2000s, Democrats and Republicans expressed broadly similar levels of trust. By 2025, the gap had grown to 43 points, with 51% of Democrats but only 8% of Republicans expressing confidence in mass media. Age differences have also emerged: among adults 65 and older, 43% express trust, compared with no more than 28% in any younger age group, a divergence that was not present in the early years of the survey.

Related Pages

MediaFox NewsMediaCNNMediaMSNBCMediaNew York TimesStatisticsSocial Media PenetrationStatisticsInternet Access

Sources

  1. Gallup. Media Use and Evaluation: Historical Trends. Accessed 2026-03-03. Gallup historical trend data for trust in mass media, 1997–2003
  2. Gallup. Americans' Trust in the Mass Media (April 2004). Accessed 2026-03-03. Detailed breakdown showing 2003 trust at 54% and noting the subsequent decline
  3. Gallup. Trust in News Media Rebounds Somewhat This Year. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2005 survey showing trust rebounded to 50% after dropping to 44% in 2004
  4. Gallup. Distrust in Media Edges Up to Record High. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2010 survey data: 43% trust in mass media; 57% little or no trust
  5. Gallup. In U.S., Trust in Media Recovers Slightly From All-Time Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2013 survey showing trust at 44%, up from 40% in 2012
  6. Gallup. U.S. Distrust in Media Hits New High. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2012 survey: 60% little or no trust; 40% great deal/fair amount
  7. Gallup. Trust in Mass Media Returns to All-Time Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2014 survey: 40% trust, tying 2012 record low; partisan breakdown included
  8. Gallup. Americans' Trust in Media Remains at Historical Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2015 survey: 40% trust overall
  9. Gallup. Americans' Trust in Mass Media Sinks to New Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2016 survey: 32% trust, record low at the time
  10. Gallup. U.S. Media Trust Continues to Recover From 2016 Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2018 survey: 45% trust, highest since 2009; includes 2017 data at 41%
  11. Gallup. Americans' Trust in Mass Media Edges Down to 41%. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2019 survey: 41% trust, matching 2017 level
  12. Gallup. Americans Remain Distrustful of Mass Media. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2020 survey: 40% trust; 73% among Democrats, 10% among Republicans
  13. Gallup. Americans' Trust in Media Dips to Second Lowest on Record. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2021 survey: 36% trust, second-lowest since tracking began
  14. Gallup. Americans' Trust In Media Remains Near Record Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2022 survey: 34% trust; first year more people had no trust at all than had trust
  15. Gallup. Media Confidence in U.S. Matches 2016 Record Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2023 survey: 32% trust, matching 2016 record low
  16. Gallup. Americans' Trust in Media Remains at Trend Low. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2024 survey: 31% trust, new record low at that time
  17. Gallup. Trust in Media at New Low of 28% in U.S.. Accessed 2026-03-03. September 2025 survey: 28% trust, first time below 30%; includes partisan and age breakdowns