A Gallup poll released Tuesday found that trust in mass media among Americans rose this year, reversing a record low reached in 2025, according to The Hill and Semafor. The Hill reported that 33 percent of respondents said they trusted mass media — including newspapers, television and radio — a 'great deal' or presumably a fair amount, with the increase driven by Republicans.
Axios described the shift as a 'sharp comeback' in Republican trust in the media, while Semafor and The Hill both attributed the overall rise in confidence to Republican respondents specifically.
At the same time, the same Gallup survey found that slightly more than two in three Americans now say U.S. news media have 'a lot' of freedom, which UPI reported as a new low for that measure.
Newsmax framed the results simply as media trust rising from a record low, without detailing which groups drove the change.
How each side covered it
Center
- Center outlets reported trust in mass media rose five percentage points this year after a 2025 record low.
- Axios and The Hill attributed the rise specifically to Republicans.
- UPI reported that just over two in three Americans say the media have 'a lot' of freedom, a new low.
- Semafor connected the rise in Republican confidence with the simultaneous decline in views on media freedom.
“Republicans drove an increase in Americans’ trust in the media, which jumped by five percent this year after hitting an all-time low in 2025” — The Hill
Right
- Newsmax reported media trust rising from a record low, without specifying the Republican-driven detail.
“Gallup Poll: Media Trust Rises From Record Low” — Newsmax
Questions readers ask
What did the new Gallup poll find about media trust?
The poll, released Tuesday, found that Americans' trust in mass media rose five percentage points this year after hitting a record low in 2025, according to The Hill. Thirty-three percent of respondents said they trusted mass media a 'great deal' or fair amount.
Who drove the increase in media trust?
Axios, The Hill and Semafor reported that Republicans were the group primarily responsible for the increase in trust in mass media this year.
Did Americans' views on media freedom also change?
Yes. UPI reported that slightly more than two in three Americans now say U.S. news media have 'a lot' of freedom, which the poll found to be a new low.
How did coverage differ across outlets?
Center outlets like The Hill, Axios and Semafor emphasized that Republicans drove the rise in trust, while also noting the decline in perceived media freedom. Newsmax, a right-leaning outlet, focused simply on trust rising from a record low without detailing the Republican-driven angle.
Sources · 5 outlet reports
- AxiosCenterRepublicans' trust in media makes sharp comeback
- SemaforCenterMore Republicans express confidence in the press, poll finds
- The HillCenterMedia freedom perceptions hit record low: Survey
- UPICenterPercentage who say U.S. media have 'a lot' of freedom hits new low
- NewsmaxRight-leaningGallup Poll: Media Trust Rises From Record Low