What media Americans trust

[spmetla]

US News is catered toward whatever audience already watches them. Each network caters to people that love and need their echo chamber to confirm whats wrong with the other. Watch MSNBC only and you'll be sure the Republicans are all evil, watch Fox News and you'll be sure that the Democrats are trying to pioneer the downfall of America. CNN leans left but not as blatantly as MSNBC.

When we still had Al Jazeera America I'd switch to watching that when we'd be stuck on some stupid small story that was getting 24hr coverage despite being relatively unimportant (Prince, Kardashians, etc...).

The evening news is pretty much the most comprehensive and trust worthy but unfortunately only watched by the elderly it seems. I regularly watch PBS Newshour and BBC, sometimes I'll watch NHK if PBS is airing it. I do switch between the 3 cable news networks during lunch though to see the differing coverage of the same story. On my phone I switch between reading the news from the following apps: PBS Newshour, BBC News, France 24, Deutsche Welle, ORF.

I think one of the reasons British news is so trusted is probably because it doesn't fall into the trap of over covering one story. When CNN is giving their minute by minute coverage or count down of some event you can miss a hell of a lot of news that's only covered in the ticker scrolling the bottom of the screen. British news casts cover the whole world of events instead of our purely domestic focuses (Catalan thing was barely covered on cable news networks).

The worry for me is that the two most extreme networks have the highest viewership rates despite being 'untrusted'
http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/basic...st-2017/339773

RATINGS
Fox News and MSNBC Are No. 1 and No. 2 Most-Watched Cable Networks in August

Americans continue to be enthralled by cable news, and it continues to show in the ratings department. Each of the big three cable news networks finished in the top 5 across basic cable across total day viewership (6 a.m. – 6 a.m.)

During the month of August 2017, Fox News topped all of basic cable in total day viewers, per Nielsen data. This is the 14th straight month Fox News has accomplished this feat. Additionally, FNC was the most-watched basic cable network in prime time, notching a monthly total viewer victory in prime time six of the past eight months.

Fox News also posted audience growth in August 2017 relative to its August 2016. The network was +6 percent in prime time viewers, and +7 percent in total day viewers from last year.

With Adults 25-54, Fox News posted +25 percent growth in prime time, and +28 percent growth in total day.

MSNBC continues to thrive ratings-wise in 2017. The network finished August 2017 No. 2 basic cable both in prime time and in total day viewers. The network posted +63 percent prime time viewer growth, +55 percent growth in the prime time demo, +54 percent growth in total day viewers, and +40 percent growth in the total day demo versus August 2016.

CNN had a solid month in its own right, finishing in the top 10 in total viewers, both in prime time and in total day. The network posted +41 percent growth in total prime time viewers, +54 percent growth in the prime time A25-54 demo, +22 percent growth in total day viewers and +39 percent growth in the total day demo versus August 2016.

Armed with a re-vamped lineup in the afternoon and early evenings, CNN’s sister network HLN held steady in total prime time viewers but posted +2 percent growth in total day viewers from Aug. 2016.

Additionally, here are the five most-watched basic cable networks of August 2017:

Top 5 Basic Cable Networks of August 2017 (Prime Time)
Fox News (2,206,000)
MSNBC (1,835,000)
USA (1,499,000)
HGTV (1,429,000)
TBS (1,258,000)

Top 5 Basic Cable Networks: August 2017 (Total Day)
Fox News (1,345,000)
Nickelodeon (1,165,000)
MSNBC (1,002,000)
CNN (832,000)
Adult Swim (809,000)