A recent survey conducted by Public Policy Polling revealed some interesting items about TV viewers yesterday. After studying 632 voters (and accounting for a margin of error of +/- 3.9 percent), PPP found that the trust Americans once felt in Fox News has seriously waned: According to the results, it’s the most distrusted news station among most age groups. According to the study, “a year ago a plurality of Americans said they trusted Fox News,” and while conservatives haven’t budged all that much, “moderates and liberals” have overwhelmingly cut ties with the network.
But what’s remarkable about the study is what it says about how trust varies between age demographics. Nearly 60 percent of viewers between the ages of 18 and 29 trust PBS News, compared to just over 30-percent of retirees. In fact, it looks like members of the older generation are generally suspect of news broadcasting – with the exception of Fox News. Almost 50 percent of those aged 65 and older have faith in the controversial station.
And, as The Boston Globe points out, seeing as older people watch more TV, Fox News gets a big ratings boost from this viewership. Still, we all know traditional cable television is being challenged. About three years ago, a Pew study found that despite the ever-growing popularity of the Internet, people were more inclined to turn to the TV screen for news. But now, a study from earlier this month reveals that Internet is quickly gaining over television news broadcasts, which saw a sharp decline. According to the survey, “Television remains the most widely used source for national and international news — 66 percent of Americans say it is their main source of news — but that is down from 74 percent three years ago and 82 percent as recently as 2002.”
