Here’s what Pew says people think of journalism — and what you can do about it

The negative perceptions of journalism reflected in a new Pew Research Center report out this week can be frustrating to read about. Many journalists consider their work to be a public service and resent when it’s seen as irresponsible or unethical.

But remember that the attitudes reflected in the research are appropriate for some news media. Just as you are likely frustrated by some things done in the name of journalism, so is the public. Not everyone corrects errors, shows care for their sources, clearly labels opinion content and explains where their funding comes from. Right?

At Trusting News, our goal is for you to use the research as ammunition for improving transparency and clarity around your own mission, ethics and processes. Don’t try to persuade everyone to trust all journalism. Instead, validate people’s skepticism and wariness, then show them why they can trust your work.

In this post, I’ll highlight some facts from the Pew report and suggest what we hope journalists will do in response. Find the whole Pew report here. And find other research about trust in journalism (from a variety of organizations) in this slide deck.

Perceptions of journalists’ value and attitudes

Fewer than half of U.S. adults have confidence that journalists act in the best interests of the public.

The challenge: More people believe that journalists hurt democracy than protect it. More people believe we don’t care about the people we report on than the opposite.

The questions for journalists: What’s your counter-narrative? Do you believe your work protects democracy? If so, how do you make that clear? Is it in your mission statement, and does your day-to-day work back it up? Do you tell your audience why your work matters for the health of your community, for example by including that language on-air, in newsletters and in social posts? How do you show that you have empathy for and are working on behalf of the people you report on?

If people think you do “gotcha” journalism, sensationalize people’s private lives or are careless with people’s stories and the effect your work has on their lives, what are you doing to combat that perception?

Try this:

• Explain the mission and goals behind your work, including specific elements like watchdog journalism and the goals for individual beats.
• Bring your ethics to life in your day-to-day work.
• Explain why you choose to cover some stories — especially controversial ones.

Perceptions of journalists’ transparency

How well do journalists explain these elements of both their work and their companies?

The challenge: You might think your organization is being clear about how you correct errors, how your work is funded and whether a story is news or opinion. But that’s not the impression people have of journalism in general.

The questions for journalists: How do you provide clarity on these issues, and where would your audience find that information? Is it published and easy to find? Is it on standing “About Us” or ethics pages? Is it ever linked from daily stories, newsletters or social posts? If not, is it reasonable to think your users would find it? You hold other institutions accountable and demand transparency from them. You follow the money to investigate power, and you watch out for corruption. With that spirit in mind, look for chances to validate your audience’s desire to know more about how you operate — ethically and financially.

Added motivation: Seeing corrections to news stories increases confidence in the work for vastly more people (51%) than say it makes no difference (36%) or decreases confidence (12%), which underscores earlier research. Please correct your errors publicly and prominently.

Try this:

• Explain where your money comes from (and whether it influences your news decisions). Explain why you need their financial support.
• Differentiate news from opinion, and explain why you share opinions
• Describe your sourcing, story selection and visuals choices
• Explain what you do when you get something wrong

A personal connection to the news

Feeling loyal to and understood by the news outlet people watch improves their views of the media overall.

In addition, when people feel like an issue or event they’re personally connected to was covered well, they’re more inclined to believe the news overall is largely accurate.

The challenge: Too many people don’t feel understood by journalists. They don’t see their lives reflected in the news. They say they are looking for a demeanor from journalists that reflects warmth and shared views. And as previous Pew research has told us, only 21% of U.S. adults say they’ve ever spoken to or been interviewed by a local journalist. And that number goes down the less rich, old, white and educated someone is.

The questions for journalists: How do you invest in building relationships? Whether on-air or in how you write (especially in informal formats like newsletters and social media), do you come across as a human being? Do you respond when people comment on your work, offering thanks for feedback and observations when possible? Do you ask follow-up questions? Do you make it clear you want to hear from the people you aim to serve? Is it easy to contact you?

Try this:

• Be easy to contact, and invite feedback.
• Invest in online interactions with your community.
• Create a handout about your newsroom, and build trust face to face in the community.
• Invite your journalists to share their experiences and humanity

Who in your audience feels served by you?

There are familiar themes in this report about people with lower than average trust in journalists.

• People who lean conservative have more negative assumptions about journalists’ motivation, integrity and ethics.
• Black Americans prefer news outlets that cover people like them, with journalists who share their views.
• Young adults are less likely to feel loyal to or valued by the news outlets they follow.

The challenge: Journalists often don’t understand the experience of consuming their news from a variety of perspectives. They’re not aware of the existing obstacles to trust across a diverse spectrum of stakeholders. And they can’t address those obstacles unless they understand them.

The questions for journalists: Do you pay attention to and value feedback? What does your audience think of your ethics, transparency and humanity? How do their answers differ depending on their age, race, class or political leanings?

Try this:

• Tell your community you want to be worthy of their trust, and invite them to tell you how you could improve. Then listen and respond.
• Use research to understand perceptions of news overall (and election coverage specifically), then see how it compares to what you hear from the community you serve.
• In negative feedback, look for opportunities to clear up misconceptions and demonstrate credibility.

How Trusting News can help

• Sign up for our newsletter to get one quick, actionable tip for earning trust in your inbox each week.
• Watch this 15-minute webinar about tips for demonstrating what makes your election coverage credible.
• Get in touch if you’d like to talk through your specific challenges or ask for support for your newsroom.

Trusting News is designed to demystify the issue of trust in journalism. We research how people decide what news is credible, then turn that knowledge into actionable strategies for journalists. We’re funded by the Reynolds Journalism Institute, the American Press Institute, Democracy Fund and the Knight Foundation.