Untrusted Mainstream Media and Bias

An IFC poll found most Americans do not trust television and radio news, with 80% and 84% saying they were unreliable respectively.

When asked who respondents felt was the most trusted news personality:
– 14.2% of Democrats polled consider Keith Olbermann of MSNBC to be the most trusted while
– 29.2% of Republicans surveyed consider Rush Limbaugh to be the most trusted.

I feel they are both tools. The two biggest partisan personalities are considered the most trusted. Truly sad. Sorry Olbermann lovers, but every now and then he says things are just as outlandish as O'Reily or Limbaugh.

Fox News came out as the 2nd most trusted news source, after the internet, probably because most conservatives generally all watch Fox News because of perceived "liberal bias" of news media today. Democrats trust MSNBC most as a network (30.3% MSNBC, 26.2% CNN, 43.5% other), while Republicans generally all trust Fox News most (81.9% Fox, 18.1% other)

I, however, don't believe there is a liberal media bias. I believe the main stream media got burned on Iraq WMDs, and were embarrassed for buying into White House press releases and questionable confidential sources. The result was a disillusioned press core more critical of the White House. Further adding to the MSM's rage were:
- the destruction of the MSM's perceived right to confidential sources in the precedent setting Valorie Plame Affair.
- broadened executive secrecy and powers.

These factors led to today’s perceived bias, factors which Obama has made the appearance of trying to reconcile by proclaiming lessened executive powers (remains to be seen), a more stringent secrecy standards (Freedom of Information Act), and increased transparency in spending (remains to be seen).

Anyway, I found the IFC poll interesting.