The mainstream media has been dropping the ball recently in a slew of fake news coverage, including the Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax and the coverage of the kids from Covington Catholic High School. We asked college students at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., if they still trust the news media after the recent bad track record.
“No, but honestly I never have,… they only put out what they want you to know. For all of the fake that they’re putting out, its ridiculous, you can’t trust the media,” responded one student.
Another said, “I would say probably not, because I feel like they jumped too quick to reporting before they had any conclusive evidence.”
One student said that we should always trust alleged victims that the media reports because it could be “triggering” if we don’t. “I think that we should always trust victims, and questioning victims is very problematic and dangerous. This case with Jussie was literally insane, but usually victims aren’t someone that I would go out to question, that’s very triggering.” (RELATED: Robin Roberts Opens Up About Jussie Smollett Interview)
Although many students expressed skepticism or suspicion toward the news media when questioned, few said that they were willing to back up the president’s frequent critiques of the media’s credibility.
One student refuted Trump’s comments about the media by saying calling them “fake” is disrespectful, “I disagree when he calls them “fake news” because I feel like that is just disrespectful to people who work so hard. But also, I think being skeptical and also like criticizing them and calling them “fake” are completely different.” (RELATED: ‘Good Morning America’ Host Robin Roberts Breaks Silence On Jussie Smollett Interview)
Another said that the label of “fake news” poses a threat to the First Amendment. “I think one of the things that this country prides itself on, if anything, is the First Amendment: he freedom of not just speech and everything, but journalism. The fact that we are entitled to get the truth, even if the truth is not favorable to the man that sits in the highest level of office.”