More Americans say media are too liberal than too conservative

gallascii117p
by Elizabeth Mendes

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans&rsqascii117o; confidence in the accascii117racy of the mass media has improved slightly after falling to an all-time low last year. Now, 44% say they have a great deal or fair amoascii117nt of trascii117st and confidence in the mass media, identical to 2011 bascii117t ascii117p from 40% in 2012, the lowest reading since Gallascii117p regascii117larly began tracking the qascii117estion in 1997.

The latest resascii117lts are based on Gallascii117p&rsqascii117o;s annascii117al Governance sascii117rvey, condascii117cted Sept. 5-8. Americans have consistently been more distrascii117sting than trascii117sting of the media each year since 2007, in contrast with 1997 throascii117gh 2003, when the slight majority expressed trascii117st in the media.

This year&rsqascii117o;s bascii117mp in confidence comes mainly from independents and Repascii117blicans, after these groascii117ps&rsqascii117o; trascii117st in the media dropped last year amid a heated presidential election race in which Mitt Romney sascii117pporters may have felt their candidate was being treated ascii117nfairly. Democrats&rsqascii117o; confidence, however, has been inching ascii117p since 2011.

Americans Continascii117e to See Media as Too Liberal

Consistent with Repascii117blicans&rsqascii117o; and independents&rsqascii117o; dissatisfaction with the media, far more Americans say the media are too liberal than too conservative, 46% vs. 13%, as was the case in 2011, and every year since Gallascii117p has been tracking this trend. Thirty-seven percent cascii117rrently describe the media&rsqascii117o;s political leanings as 'jascii117st aboascii117t right.'

Perceptions of a liberal media bias are particascii117larly strong among Repascii117blicans and conservatives, with 74% and 73%, respectively, saying the media are too liberal. However, half of independents also call it too liberal, while most Democrats call it 'jascii117st aboascii117t right.'

Althoascii117gh ascii117p from the all-time low foascii117nd last year, Americans&rsqascii117o; confidence in the mass media remains lower than it was in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their confidence began to decline in 2005 and has been lower since. The decline over that period is apparent among Democrats, independents, and Repascii117blicans -- althoascii117gh Democrats remain mascii117ch more trascii117sting of the media than do the other groascii117ps.

Democrats&rsqascii117o; higher confidence and Repascii117blicans&rsqascii117o; lower confidence in the media may be related to the media&rsqascii117o;s perceived liberal leanings. Regardless of whether the media do favor a liberal point of view, the plascii117rality of Americans perceive it does. Far fewer Americans see the media as too conservative.
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