In recent times, modern journalism has been deemed biased, unreliable, and politically charged. 

According to a survey conducted by Gallup in February 2025, only 31% of Americans have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the mass media. Many Americans stated that political bias and a lack of transparency in reporting and research are the primary reasons.

Due to the current political state of America, modern journalism is now in one of its most divided states.

News outlets often cater to the political leanings of their audience, using select stories and sources that align with a specific ideology. In some cases, information is altered or omitted to push a political agenda.

“I don’t trust major news outlets because they are unreliable and biased,” Freshman Rozlyn Courtade said. “News sources tend to lean towards their beliefs and don’t look at both sides equally.”

A majority of Republican adults have turned away from traditional media in favor of right-leaning outlets such as Fox News, Fox Business Channel, and Newsmax. On the other hand, many Democrats continue to rely on left-leaning outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, and The New York Times, while rejecting conservative media sources.

This polarization became especially evident following the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.

Many journalists were fired or placed on administrative leave after receiving backlash over comments made towards Kirk. MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd and Phoenix Suns writer Gerald Bourget were among those terminated.

While some agreed with the terminations, others argued that silencing opposing political opinions could worsen the media’s political divide, especially when it involves outlets already viewed as partisan.

Political division is not the only reason Americans distrust journalism. Many also believe free speech is no longer free.

“People get put on blast for what they say all the time,” Junior Christian Beaver said.