Poll: Cable News Beats Broadcast Networks For Trust

In one of the most unexpected and ground-shaking changes in the media landscape, the three biggest cable TV news outlets are trusted more than the Big Three networks, and it’s not even close..

The Washington Examiner reports Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC all topped ABC, NBC, and CBS in trust, with Fox king of the hill, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports survey shared with Secrets.

Remarkably, said the pollster, the trust gap is huge between cable and network news, ranging from double to quadruple.

All told, about 70% of the public trusts some news outlet. Nearly 30% said they trust none or just don't know.

Here are the responses to which news outlet likely voters trust most:

• 
  Fox News 25%.
• CNN 13%.
• MSNBC 12%.
• NBC 7%.
• ABC 7%.
• CBS 6%.
• None 25%.
• Don’t know 4%.

Possibly driving the lack of trust in TV news is the view of voters that the media is biased and getting worse at hiding it.

Asked if bias is getting better or worse in news coverage, 58% said worse, and 13% said better. Another 26% said it is the “same as always.”

Rasmussen said that the political leanings of viewers influence which outlet voters trust. On cable, the pollster said, “Forty-three percent (43%) of Republicans trust Fox News the most, as do 12% of Democrats and 20% of unaffiliated voters. Democrats are divided between MSNBC (23%) and CNN (22%) as their most trusted news organizations. Among unaffiliated voters, 11% trust CNN the most, and 10% say MSNBC is the most trusted news organization. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of unaffiliated voters say ‘none of them’ is the most trusted, as do 29% of Republicans and 11% of Democrats."

On network news, Rasmussen said, “28% of Democrats name one of the broadcast news organizations as the most trusted — 10% choosing NBC News, with CBS News and ABC News each getting nine percent (9%). Just 15% of Republicans name one of the broadcast networks as the most trusted — CBS News leading at 6% — while among unaffiliated voters, 18% trust one of the broadcast networks the most, with NBC News and ABC News tied at 7% each.”

Age makes a difference too. Rasmussen said, “Older voters are more likely to name Fox News as the most trusted news organization, while those under 40 are more likely to choose CNN.”

Supporters of President Joe Biden pick MSNBC first to trust.