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Trust In News Media Rising, Especially Confidence In Local News, Survey Says

It's been a quite a newsy week. And there's good news about those who cover and report "real news."

After decades of decline, a new Poynter Institute survey says that trust in real news, especially from local news media is up over last year and rising -- fueled by politicians proclaiming "fake news."

After decades of decline, a new Poynter Institute survey says that trust in real news, especially from local news media is up over last year and rising -- fueled by politicians proclaiming "fake news."

 Photo Credit: Poynter Institute
A sampling of August headlines from the Daily News.

A sampling of August headlines from the Daily News.

 Photo Credit: Daily News
It's been a newsy week, from Sunday's "Meet the Press" to several federal guilty pleas, as reported by local and national media.

It's been a newsy week, from Sunday's "Meet the Press" to several federal guilty pleas, as reported by local and national media.

 Photo Credit: New York Post/ amNewYork
After decades of decline, a new Poynter Institute survey says that trust in the news media, especially local news media is up over last year and rising, fueled by politicians proclaiming "fake news."

After decades of decline, a new Poynter Institute survey says that trust in the news media, especially local news media is up over last year and rising, fueled by politicians proclaiming "fake news."

 Photo Credit: Poynter Institute
Jon Craig
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Poynter Institute reports here that “after decades of declining trust in the press, coupled with relentless rhetorical attacks on the media by President Trump,” a new survey shows that “trust in media is up since last year, and the great majority of Americans trust their local news sources.”

The full study by a trio of political and public policy scholars can be found online by clicking here: Titled "All Media Trust Is Local?"

According to the Poynter Media Trust Survey, 76 percent of Americans have “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of trust in their local TV news, and 73 percent have confidence in local newspapers.

As the popularity of politicians continues to plummet, the popularity and trust in the news media -- most notably local news media -- is on the rise. 

Today's high trust in local news is nearly on par with the prior "high-water mark" in trust of all news media measured by Gallup in this 1976 report. Gallup's "trust-in-news" surveys began four years earlier as news reporters investigated President Richard Nixon -- before he resigned over the Watergate scandal.

Increased trust in a free American press also is up as federal indictments are being handed down against former top campaign aides and advisers to President Trump, a Republican, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat from New Castle -- who are both natives of Queens.

Survey respondents identifying themselves as Independent of either major political party had the most trust in the news media, the survey said. Republicans, meanwhile, reported having almost "none at all."

According to the Poynter study, the public appears to be doubting the "Fake News" mantra that Trump and others keep chanting. 

Shades of George Orwell's "1984," according to leading political scientists interviewed this week after ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- Trump's lawyer after Michael Cohen's ouster -- stunned NBC-TV viewers and anchor Chuck Todd when he declared "Truth isn't truth" on Sunday's "Meet the Press." 

It's been bad news ever since for key lawyers and campaign advisers under scrutiny by the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

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