The following two questions about alleged “fake news” were asked in a Monmouth University poll last month.
Take a look at the answers, compare them to answers for the same question last year, and see what you think:
Do you think some traditional major news sources like TV and newspapers ever report fake news stories, or not? [If YES: Do they do this regularly or just occasionally?]
| TREND: | March 2018 |
March 2017 |
| Yes, regularly | 31% | 27% |
| Yes, occasionally | 46% | 36% |
| No, do not | 21% | 32% |
| (VOL) Don’t know | 3% | 6% |
| (n) | (803) | (801) |
Do you think these sources report these stories on purpose in order to push an agenda or do they tend to report them more by accident or because of poor fact checking?
| TREND: | March 2018 |
March 2017 |
| On purpose in order to push an agenda | 42% | 39% |
| By accident or because of poor fact checking | 26% | 17% |
| (VOL) Both equally | 7% | 6% |
| (VOL) Don’t know | 1% | 1% |
| Major media do not report fake news (Q39) | 21% | 32% |
| Unsure if major media report fake news (Q39) | 3% | 6% |
| (n) | (803) | (801) |
If these data are correct, what does it tell you about the public’s trust in mainstream media?
Now why do you suppose they would they feel this way…..
