Americans see a variety of factors as important when it comes to deciding whether a news story is trustworthy or not, but their attitudes vary by party affiliation, demographic characteristics and news consumption habits, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Overall, broad majorities of U.S. adults say it […] Read more »
How Frank Luntz Created a Mess Inside the Los Angeles Times
Well-known Republican pollster Frank Luntz’s work is causing headaches for the Los Angeles Times’ newsroom. Recent revelations that he conducted undisclosed, behind-the-scenes partisan consulting while also doing unpaid work for the paper came as little surprise to staffers, who have previously raised concerns about conflicts-of-interest in his work. CONTINUED Maxwell […] Read more »
Understanding QAnon’s Connection to American Politics, Religion, and Media Consumption
The far-right conspiracy theory movement known as QAnon emerged on the internet in late 2017 and gained traction throughout former president Donald Trump’s time in office. QAnon’s core theory revolves around Satan-worshipping pedophiles plotting against Trump and a coming “storm” that would clear out those evil forces, but the movement […] Read more »
Broad agreement in U.S. – even among partisans – on which news outlets are part of the ‘mainstream media’
The term “mainstream media” has long been used to refer to established journalism outlets in the United States. In recent years, it has also been used in a more critical context, including by former President Donald Trump, other politicians and members of the media themselves. To learn more about how […] Read more »
Politics—not psychology—drives politics
… It is true that people are more prone to reasoning in a way that favors their group when their political identity is activated. Yet, the fundamental question is often why some issues get politicized in the first place. To answer that question, one must go deep into understanding political […] Read more »
At 100 Day Mark: Coverage of Biden Has Been Slightly More Negative Than Positive, Varied Greatly by Outlet Type
News coverage of President Joe Biden’s early days in office was modestly more negative than positive, and most of the stories were centered around his ideology and policy agenda rather than his character and leadership – a contrast with coverage of former President Donald Trump at the start of his […] Read more »