Long-term decline in TV news seen more sharply among Republicans and independents
June 20, 2012
Aside from the presidency, the U.S. societal institutions sparking the most divergent reactions from Republicans and Democrats are big business, organized labor, and the police. Both groups have lost confidence in public schools.
Confidence also at new lows for organized religion, banks, and TV news
June 20, 2012
Americans express record-low confidence in public schools, organized religion, banks, and television news this year. Among 16 institutions rated, Americans continue to be most confident in the military and least in Congress.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) and Gallup held an event on March 28, 2012, at Gallup's world headquarters in Washington, D.C., to discuss how the world's populations perceive media freedom in their countries. Gallup and BBG also announced the details of their new global research project to better understand media use around the world.
People's perceptions align with press freedom indicators
March 28, 2012
A median of 65% of adults in 133 countries and areas surveyed in 2011 say the media in their country have a lot of freedom. Belarusians are the least likely to say their media are free (23%) and Finns are the most likely (97%).
Chadians among the least likely to say media in their country have a lot of freedom
November 3, 2011
People worldwide are more likely to perceive the media in their countries as having a lot of freedom than not. A median of 67% say their media have this much freedom, but this view ranges from as low as 27% in Chad to as high as 95% in the Netherlands.
Americans remain largely distrusting of the news media, with 55% saying they have little or no trust in the media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly, and 60% perceiving bias one way or the other.
Average phone owner is more likely to be male, educated, and urban
September 16, 2011
Gallup surveys in 17 sub-Saharan African countries indicate the potential for tremendous growth in the mobile phone industry. Fifty-seven percent of adults have mobile phones, with access ranging from a high of 84% in South Africa to a low of 16% in Central African Republic.
Gallup surveys conducted before Britain's recent phone hacking scandal show the majority of Britons have not been confident in the quality and integrity of their media for years. The 39% who were confident in 2010, however, is still higher than the 30% of Americans who expressed confidence in their media that same year.
Confidence still lags behind levels of trust seen through much of the 1990s and into 2003
June 27, 2011
Americans' confidence in newspapers and television news rebounded slightly in the past year, having been stuck at record lows since 2007. Americans aged 30 to 49 and men registered significant improvements in their views of each.
Confidence in most institutions below their historical average
June 23, 2011
Gallup's annual update on confidence in institutions finds Americans expressing the most confidence in the military and the least in Congress. This year, there has been a slight uptick in Americans' confidence in television news and newspapers, though each ranks in the lower half of the 16 institutions tested.