In Media We Trust

I wrote this blog post as a course requirement for my Demystifying Media journalism course. Demystifying Media explores current changes within the media landscape and features a series of guest speakers from whom students gain industry knowledge and career advice for navigating the ever-changing media world. These blog posts feature my key takeaways from guest speakers as well as industry news analysis.

To view my other Demystifying Media blog posts visit my WordPress blog.

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During last week’s Demystifying Media Series guest lecture, Joy Mayer discussed the decline in news consumer trust in media and strategies to gain trust in the newsroom.

Mayer, a former journalism instructor at the Missouri School of Journalism, adjunct faculty member at the Poynter Institute and consulting fellow for Reynolds Journalism, focuses her work and research on community engagement strategies for newsrooms. Specifically, Mayer studies ways in which communicators can interact with their community by identifying newsroom audience and how well the audience is being served by the newsroom.

One thing that stood out to me during the lecture was that there has been a gradual decline in news consumer’s trust in the media.

According to a Gallup poll, published in 2016, 32% of Americans claimed that they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the media. This statistic surprised me as I had assumed more Americans had trust in the media.

Mayer, mentioned a current research project from University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication faculty members: Todd Milbourn, Lisa Heyamoto, and Thomas Schmidt, titled The 32 Percent Project (in homage to the 32 percent of Americans who have a “great deal/fair amount” of trust in the media).  The goal of The 32 Percent Project is to help journalists do their jobs better (maintaining a trusting relationship with news consumers) by enlisting advice from news consumers/community members across the country.

The 32 Percent Project exemplifies one of Mayer’s strategies for media outlets to regain trust; through open dialogue with community members. Mayer also mentioned how some news organizations such as reporters from Cedar Rapids’ KCRG, can welcome questions from the communities of which they serve, as in KCRG’s case via a Facebook Live Q&A session. 

Aside from maintaining an open dialogue with community members, Mayer also suggests being transparent with your audience when it comes to the news organization’s reporting processes. One way to remain transparent is by including a description alongside a news story that explains why the organization is reporting it and why it is of importance to the community. This explanation will help community members to clearly identify the news organization’s intent in publishing the story.

Another aspect in developing trust in the media, is by media outlets disclosing if a story was published with the help of a funder. Further, Mayer states that it is better to also include an explanation of the news organization’s funding structure in order to avoid influence from the funder.

Another key aspect from Mayer’s lecture that stood out to me was the news consumer’s desire to be informed of facts from all sides of the issue, rather than reports on “both” sides of an issue. By claiming to report “both” sides of an issue, this seems to add politicized baggage to an issue. I think that in certain situations, if issues are too heavily politicized, it conveys a message of divisiveness within a community, potentially leading to unhealthy discourse and issues never really being solved.

After Joy Mayer’s lecture, I now see the importance of news organizations being open with their audience about their reporting strategies and the importance of welcoming feedback from the audience as well because after all, journalists serve the public. Without a trusting relationship between the media and the public, there is increased difficulty in maintaining an informed public, and without trust, how will media organizations hold those in power accountable?