Most Utahns trust their local news reporters and outlets but don't trust the national media, the latest Deseret News/KSL poll shows.
Pollster Dan Jones & Associates found that 59 percent strongly or somewhat trust Utah media to treat stories fairly and objectively. Thirty-nine percent distrust the local media.The numbers are reversed when the national media are reviewed. Only 39 percent trust the national press, while 59 percent distrust the broadcasters of the evening news, national newspapers and other such publications, Jones found.
Part of the difference is likely Utahns' personal association with the local press. The Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune and other newspapers have been publishing for more than 100 years. KSL Radio was one of the first AM stations in the West and has been broadcasting television for dozens of years. Other local TV stations have been around for decades.
Dan Harrie, president of the Utah Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, says there are probably two reasons Utah media fare better than the national press. "First, the Utah media do a good job and so have earned that trust. Second, it's probably like people's opinion of Congress: We keep electing our own representative to Congress, trusting him or her, but we don't trust Congress."
Still, nearly 40 percent of Utahns don't trust the local media, Jones found.
While that may be disquieting to news reporters, it's not as bad as local politicians fared. In a Tribune poll conducted several months ago, readers of the newspaper said they would trust news stories far more than leaders of the Utah Legislature should there be differences between the two over a story's accuracy. In fact, only 2 percent said they would trust legislative leaders over news accounts if they differed.
Historically, those of conservative political bents tend to mistrust the "liberal" media more than political moderates or liberals.
That's the case among Utahns concerning the national press. Jones found that only 28 percent of Utahns who said they are "very conservative" trust the national media to report a story fairly and objectively; while 69 percent of conservatives don't trust the national press. Those who classified themselves as very liberal felt about the national press like the general Utah populace - 37 percent of liberals trust the national press, 56 percent don't.
But that's not the case for local Utah media, where perhaps the press is considered as conservative as the populace. Here, conservatives trust the local press more than liberals do.
Jones found that among those who consider themselves "very conservative" the local press was trusted by 58 percent, where 39 percent distrusted the press. But just 53 percent of those who said they are "very liberal" trust the local press, and 47 percent of liberals distrust the local press.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Deseret News/KSL poll
Generally speaking, do you trust or distrust the national media to treat stories fairly and objectively?
TRUST 39%
DISTRUST 59%
DON'T KNOW 2%
Do you trust or distrust the local media to treat stories fairly and objectively?
TRUST 59%
DISTRUST 39%
DON'T KNOW 2%
Poll conducted May 3-5, 1994. Margin of error +/-4% on interviews of 602 adults. Conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, an independent organization founded in 1980, polls for the Deseret News and KSL. Its clients also include other organizations and some political candidates.