Share of Americans who say they have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in mass media, by party
Survey of at least 1,000 U.S. adults; Annually, 1997 to 2026
A line chart that tracks the share of Americans expressing trust in mass media from 1997 to 2026. Overall, trust peaked at 55% in 1998 and 1999, then declined to 33% by 2026. Democrats' trust peaked at 76% in 2018 and fell to 50% by 2026. Independents' trust declined steadily from 55% to 31%, and Republicans' declined from 52% to 22%.
