Rasmussen finds that likely voters don't think much of journalistic judgment:
"Eighty-five percent (85%) continue to have more confidence in their own judgment than that of the average reporter when it comes to the important issues affecting the nation, also unchanged from October. Only six percent (6%) trust the average reporter’s judgment more."67% believe "the news media have too much power and influence over government decisions, up six points from October."
And "[o]nly 20% of all voters say most reporters try to offer unbiased coverage of a political campaign. Seventy-two percent (72%) say most reporters try to help the candidate they want to win."
Incompetence in evaluating issues, too big for their britches in influencing government decisions, and biased. It's a triple crown in losing influence and audience.
UPDATE: An almost immediate case in point is the Associated Press spin on the reporter pushed down by an aide of Massachusetts Democratic senatorial candidate Martha Coakley. AP headline: "Reporter stumbles chasing hopeful for Kennedy seat". AP text: "John McCormack of the Weekly Standard fell Tuesday night as he tried to speak with state Attorney General Martha Coakley." The AP reporter adds in the story text: "Coakley is shown ignoring McCormack."
But one of the photos clearly shows her paying attention to McCormack, and the photo caption says as much: "A supporter of U.S. Senate candidate Democrat Martha Coakley helps journalist John McCormack of The Weekly Standard as Coakley looks on as she was leaving a fundraiser in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)" [emphasis added]
As to McCormack merely falling, the Coakley aide, Michael Meehan, finally called the next day and apologized to McCormack. So much for AP fact checking or even looking at its own photographer's photo. When it comes to candidates, AP spins the story to help its favorite.
H/T Frank Ross at Big Journalism
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