Americans think the media is motivated by money

+ populism's rise; Supreme Court justices divided on polarization US Edition - Today's top story: Journalism's trust problem is about money, not politics [View in browser]( US Edition | 27 June 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( As a journalist, I had never lived through such a news-packed time as the past eight years. Starting with the election of Donald Trump, those years brought the Russia investigation, COVID, two impeachments, the Jan. 6 insurrection, two wars, earthshaking decisions from the Supreme Court that affected fundamental rights, and the first felony conviction in U.S. history of a former American president. It’s no wonder I ordered a baseball cap embroidered with three initials: “TMN.” Too Much News. I wear it a lot. Here’s the thing, though: Journalists don’t really get to beg off when “there’s too much news.” We play a crucial role in American democracy. We bring you this news, and you need it to be accurate, fair and free of bias so you can evaluate and hold accountable your public officials. For decades, though, journalism has been losing credibility with the public. Journalists believed the loss was due to the public’s belief that journalists were biased and that their reports skewed the news in favor of one side or another through language and choice of topic. “Only 32% of Americans report having ‘a great deal’ or ‘fair amount’ of [trust in news reporting – a historical low](,” writes journalism scholar Jacob Nelson. But in a study, Nelson and two colleagues discovered something unexpected: “We found that people’s distrust of journalism does not stem from fears of ideological brainwashing,” he writes. Instead, they found that the public believes the news industry “values profits above truth or public service.” “The Americans we interviewed believe that news organizations report the news inaccurately not because they want to persuade their audiences to support specific political ideologies, candidates or causes, but rather because they simply want to generate larger audiences – and therefore larger profits.” That’s a stunning finding – at least to this journalist. Also in this week’s politics news: - [How Jefferson and Madison understood religious freedom]( - [Presidents often blamed for events they can’t control]( - [China’s social media crackdown targets wealth, Taiwan independence]( Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on April 10, 2024, in Washington. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images [Journalism’s trust problem is about money, not politics]( Jacob L. Nelson, University of Utah A study shows that Americans believe news organizations report the news inaccurately not because they are politically biased, but because they want to generate larger audiences and larger profits. The rise of populist leaders and movements is sometimes the partial result of people’s economic insecurities and worries about the future. Getty Images [Populism can degrade democracy but is on the rise − here’s what causes this political movement and how it can be weakened]( Gábor Scheiring, Georgetown University Economic insecurity is one factor that drives populism, a former politician from Hungary writes. U.S. Supreme Court justices normally take their time in issuing decisions. Douglas Rissing/iStock/Getty Images Plus [Supreme Court’s slow roll on deciding Trump’s immunity is the opposite of politics]( Claire B. Wofford, College of Charleston Critics are decrying the long time the Supreme Court has taken to rule in a crucial Trump case, charging that it’s politically motivated to help Trump. A scholar of the court says they’re wrong. [How Jefferson and Madison’s partnership – a friendship told in letters – shaped America’s separation of church and state]( Steven K. Green, Willamette University More than 2,000 letters between the two founders are available online. Many attest to their deep commitment to religious freedom. [Debate offers opportunity for errors, partisan spin − and maybe an opening for change]( Susan Fillippeli, Auburn University Featuring several unique rules, including no live audience and mics that cut off when it’s not a speaker’s turn, the debate might help shape the 2024 presidential race. [Even the Supreme Court’s conservative justices are polarized about the state of American politics]( Kevin J. McMahon, Trinity College The secret recordings of two Supreme Court justices reveal dramatic differences in how they see American political life. [As debate approaches, presidents are blamed for events over which they have little control]( Andrew Reeves, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis Most efforts to project how well a candidate will do in an election are based largely on factors over which presidents have little to no control. - [What people say today about the first televised presidential debate, between Nixon and JFK, doesn’t match first reactions in 1960]( W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication While people now reflect on how or whether Nixon’s sweaty, haggard appearance during the debate cost him the election, the view in 1960 was that the debate was a draw. - [Kidneys from Black donors are more likely to be thrown away − a bioethicist explains why]( Ana S. Iltis, Wake Forest University As it is now, the transplant system treats kidneys from all Black donors as if they are at higher risk for failing, even though only some are. - [Diplomacy, sanctions and soft power have failed to deter Iran’s anti-West agenda − could a new Iranian president change that?]( Nakissa Jahanbani, Penn State; Daniel P. Colletti, United States Military Academy West Point On June 28, Iranians will pick a new president. Relations with the West have been a key campaign issue. - [China’s crackdown on ‘wealth-flaunting’ social media puts pressure on influencers − both on the mainland and in Taiwan − to echo the party line]( Gengsong Gao, University of Richmond; Dan Chen, University of Richmond Regulators in China are scouring social media platforms and censoring those deemed to be engaged in morally corrupt behavior. - [Kenya protests: Ruto pulling the finance bill is unlikely to satisfy angry young protesters – here’s why]( Kathleen Klaus, Uppsala University Kenyans, particularly young ones, are fed up with rising prices as well as being ignored, of corruption and of the conspicuous consumption of politicians. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Giving Today]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](