Cat Murphy, an undergraduate, has harbored a desire to become a journalist since the age of 11. A number of her acquaintances fail to grasp the reason behind this ambition.
TL;DR
- Many teens view news media negatively, using words like "biased," "fake," and "confusing."
- Adolescents often doubt journalists' honesty, citing fabrication and lack of verification.
- News literacy education and adapting to social media are crucial for rebuilding trust.
- Young people's distrust reflects parental views and limited exposure to legitimate news sources.
When individuals interact with current events, assuming they do, they encounter a confusing mix of opinions. They're uncertain about whom to trust. Journalists are perceived as having leanings. They err. Furthermore, why would one tie their prospects to a dying industry?
“There is a lot of commentary — ‘Oh, good for you. Look what you’re walking into. You’re going to be screaming into the void. You’re going to be useless,’” said Murphy, a 21-year-old graduate student at the University of Maryland’s journalism school.
She is undeterred. And it’s also why she’s not surprised by the findings of a study this fall that documented negative attitudes toward the news media among 13- to 18-year-old Americans. The press rarely fares well in surveys of adults, but it’s sobering to see the same disdain among people whose opinions about the world are still forming.
Words to describe the news media today
Asked by the News Literacy Project for one word to describe today’s news media, 84% of teens responded with something negative — “biased,” “crazy,” “boring,” “fake, ”bad,” “depressing,” “confusing,” “scary.”
A majority of adolescents polled indicated that reporters frequently participate in dishonest actions, such as fabricating information or statements in articles, compensating informants, misrepresenting visual content, or offering concessions to advertisers. Fewer than one-third expressed confidence that news professionals rectify their mistakes, verify information prior to publication, obtain data from various origins, or report on matters of public concern—methods fundamental to the principles of esteemed journalists.
To a certain extent, adolescents mirror the viewpoints they encounter, especially when the most influential political figure of their generation has stated “fake news” a mantra. Specialists suggest that a small number of teenagers consistently consume news or receive instruction in educational settings regarding the function of journalism.
Errors or ethical lapses that grab headlines do not benefit journalists. In a time of political polarization, partisan journalists or commentators cause readers to question what to trust.
“Some of this (attitude) is earned, but much of it is based on misperception,” said Peter Adams, senior vice president of research and design for the Washington-based News Literacy Project.
Never picking up the news habit
There are ways to turn things around, but it will take work.
A significant number of Lily Ogburn's peers obtain their news from social media platforms. Ogburn, a senior at Northwestern University’s journalism school, noted that her classmates' parents did not cultivate a habit of consuming news through traditional media as they were growing up.
Ogburn previously served as the top editor for the respected Daily Northwestern student publication. The publication's 2023 investigations into supposed hazing and discrimination within the university's football team resulted in the ouster of its head coach. Nevertheless, she observed that some students fail to grasp the newspaper's function; they feel it's meant to safeguard those in authority instead of making them answer for their actions.
She frequently had to explain what she did to classmates. “There’s a lot of mistrust toward journalists,” she said. But it has firmed her resolve to stick with the profession.
“I want to be a journalist that people trust,” Ogburn said, “and I want to report news that makes people believe and trust in the media.”
The media's financial struggles throughout the last twenty years have depleted newsrooms and reduced the number of reporters working. In addition to not encountering much authentic reporting, younger individuals often don't encounter it via mainstream entertainment — contrasting with an earlier generation, who gained a thorough understanding of how Washington Post correspondents Robert Woodward and Carl Bernstein exposed the Watergate scandal were depicted in the Oscar-winning film “All the President’s Men.”
The News Literacy Project discovered that two-thirds of teenagers were unable to name any films or television programs when questioned about their associations with journalism. For those who did offer suggestions, the most common references were to the “Spider-Man” series or the film “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”. Neither of these depictions presented journalism in a particularly favorable light.
After stepping down as editor of Newsday, Howard Schneider assisted in establishing the State University of New York system's inaugural School of Journalism. However, rather than instructing aspiring writers, editors, or producers, he found himself compelled to educate individuals outside of journalism on how to be informed news consumers.
Schneider, the executive director at SUNY Stony Brook’s Center for News Literacy, expressed no astonishment regarding any of the survey's recent conclusions.
“The negativity, the feeling that news is biased, is just a reflection of how their parents feel,” Schneider said. “The more exposed to news, legitimate news, the more their attitudes turn positive.”
He's created news literacy initiatives for school systems. “Students will say, ‘I get my news from YouTube,’” he stated. “I say, ‘No, you don’t,'” and clarifies the source of news and how to be critical of what they encounter.
Lessons from a news literacy class
One of the takeaways for 16-year-old Brianne Boyack from her news literacy class at Brighton High School in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, is this: She entered the course with minimal faith in the media, but has since grasped the significance of verifying information from multiple origins and looking for news providers she deems trustworthy.
Her peer, Rhett MacFarlane, put his classroom knowledge to use when a companion informed him of a theft at the Louvre in Paris.
“I’ve learned that there is definitely fact-checking (in journalism),” MacFarlane, also 16, told The Associated Press. “You guys are professionals and you have to tell the truth or you’d be fired. I thought you guys just did whatever you wanted and chose what to say about a topic.”
Nevertheless, educational initiatives focused on news discernment are not widespread in academic settings. Educational institutions are already tasked with a substantial curriculum to equip learners for what lies ahead. Furthermore, one must consider that the public perception of journalists isn't particularly favorable. It may prove challenging for instructors to advocate for them.
“There’s an inertia here,” Schneider said, “and this is an urgent issue.”
Murphy stated at the University of Maryland that she believed her fellow students didn't harbor any intrinsic animosity towards reporters. “They don’t have any experience reading journalism,” she commented.
She believes this is an area where the journalism sector must increase its endeavors. A significant source of her vexation with her chosen profession is its reluctance to adapt, specifically a disinclination or incapacity to effectively leverage social media platforms.
“There’s very little movement in the direction of going to where people are, as opposed to expecting them to come to where you are,” Murphy said. “The only way to turn it around is going to be to switch to doing things that captivate people today, as opposed to captivating people 20 years ago.”