Nearly 75% of Country Thinks Media Is Doing Grave Harm 'Dividing' Americans, Survey Reveals
A theme has emerged from the mainstream media: They think everyone adores them, and can’t even process why people might distrust them.
That arrogant, self-centered attitude has been on full display in recent weeks. Take Jim Acosta, for instance. (No, please take him. Won’t somebody?)
The coiffed-hair CNN fop recently decided that his job wasn’t to report the news, but to become it. Most Americans were appalled by the way he squabbled with President Trump and then a female intern instead of, you know, doing journalism, yet the network reveled in the controversy like a pig in mud.
Fellow CNN talking head Don Lemon is another prime example. Remember when news readers read the news? Now, Lemon lectures his audience, all three of them, about how white people are the worst and should be dealt with.
If you’re fed up with the establishment media, you’re not alone. A new study has revealed that almost three-fourths of the nation thinks the media is “dividing Americans” — a finding that flies in the face of major networks’ attempts to blame the president for division.
The well-respected Zogby Analytics group conducted a poll that asked citizens if they agreed or disagreed that “the mainstream media has played a major role in dividing Americans along racial, gender and political lines.”
Going further, Zogby asked people if they thought the media “has led to a spread of hate and misunderstanding.” The responses were stunning.
A staggering 72 percent of Americans agreed: The media is “dividing America” and “has led to a spread of hate.”
As The Washington Examiner pointed out, it’s the media — not Donald Trump — the vast majority of people blame for increased division. “Only two-thirds said the same about Trump,” the newspaper reported.
Unsurprisingly, a higher number of Republicans pointed the finger at the mainstream media than did their liberal counterparts. But amazingly, even 51 percent of Democrats blamed division and the spread of hate on the press.
Imagine running a business and finding out that almost 75 percent of the public thinks you’re spreading hate and division. No matter your politics, you would think that would be a wake up call, a sign that you might need to take a step back and at least re-think your approach.
Don’t hold your breath. If the Trump era has done anything, it has thrown the media into a frenzy. A disturbing number of outlets — again, CNN is the main example — seem to believe that their job is to challenge and attack the president at every turn. Fairly reporting the news is a distant second.
There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing with leaders or calling foul when the evidence points to a problem. Political commentary — including the article you’re reading right now — obviously has a place.
However, there is something deeply deceptive when an outlet claims to be an unbiased news source transparently reporting facts, while obviously engaging in political bias and partisan vendettas.
All signs point to this problem of bias and outright lying only getting worse the longer President Trump stays in office. Like an addict well past the gateway stage, mainstream media outlets may not be able to let go of their obsession with attacking instead of reporting even after Trump leaves office.
Those outlets may never learn, but the American people seem to have. Thankfully, we live in a time where alternate sources and fresh voices can get noticed … and the more the establishment media beats its tired drum, the more viewers will leave them behind.
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