MRC Press Release - Bozell: Bill Keller Must Go

ALEXANDRIA, VA - Sacred Heart University's year-long 2007 study of the American people's views on the establishment media reads as a prolonged indictment of nearly all the major institutions of American journalism. The numbers are even more horrific than those found in their 2003 survey.

Just 19.6% of those asked could say they believe all or most news media reporting, down from 27.4% in 2003. 23.9% said they believe little or none of it.

By a three-to-one margin Americans see news media journalists and broadcasters as mostly or somewhat liberal over mostly or somewhat conservative. For National Public Radio and the New York Times, the recognition of a liberal tilt is closer to four-to-one.

An even greater percentage of those surveyed found the media to be pushing an agenda rather than simply reporting the facts.

86.0% agreed (strongly or somewhat) that the news media attempts to influence public policies - up from an already egregious 76.7% in 2003.

The biggest news networks were among the least trusted. NBC News (10.90%), ABC News (7.0%), CBS News (6.8%), MSNBC (4.0%) and PBS News (3.0%) were in or near single digits in the percentage of people who believe what they report.

L. Brent Bozell, III, President of the Media Research Center, winces at the numbers but chalks it up as simply more fuel for the fire that is the American people's growing distrust of the media.

"This is just another example of the media operating without any guidelines save for their political agenda. They long ago ceased to exist to report news - they are now a gaggle of spin doctors and political hacks.

"These numbers are simply abysmal, but they are also the silver lining. They mean that the press is so out of touch with reality that they have lost touch with their audience.

"The American people are not fools, and not fooled so easily as the establishment media would believe. This study shows that the era of old time media dominance is very quickly nearing its end."

To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or another MRC spokesperson,
please contact Tim Scheiderer (x. 126) or Colleen O'Boyle (x. 122) at (703) 683-5004.