Throughout the years, American citizens have shown less trust toward traditional news. According to The Hill, “Just 31 percent of respondents in Gallup’s latest survey on the topic said they trust the mainstream media ‘a great deal’ or ‘a fair amount,’ while 36 percent said they don’t trust the media ‘at all.’ Another third said they do not have much trust in the media.”
Young people across the United States use social media and can come across news about politics and the world. Although traditional media such as Fox News and CNN are on social media, non-traditional media is prevalent on social media. This rise of social media news concerns some, but others would argue that traditional media has plenty of bias.
Is traditional media truly more reliable than news on social media? Or does traditional media have their own biases? Why have Americans become so suspicious of traditional media? Has this untrustworthiness of traditional media led to the rise of news on social media? The students at Taft have thoughts and opinions of their own on this topic.
Sophomore Aliya Muthana believes that the media has become more biased. In regards to whom the media has become biased towards, she said, “Whoever pays them.” Muthana believes that media sources are oftentimes paid off to push certain political agendas. She also believes that traditional media sources are just as biased as social media.
Sophomore Bjorn Lease also believes the media has become more biased, and is biased in most cases. Lease stated, “It can often distort facts, usually to push the agenda of one party or another.” He believes that in most cases, media bias can be harmful. Rather than report news, Lease believes that the media works in favor of a political party.
In regards to what biases the media has, Senior Jarlath Beckman said, “What biases don’t they have?” Beckman continued, “They have biases like ultra-conservatism or ultra-liberalism. They don’t have common ground.” He believes that these biases can influence elections or even cause violence.
The students at Taft have their own thoughts and opinions on the media. These students mentioned, believe the media is biased. They believe they push certain agendas and not information.
