WASHINGTON — When it comes to the news media and the impact it's having on democracy and political polarization in the United States, Americans are likelier to say it's doing more harm than good.
The poll, released before World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, shows Americans have significant concerns about misinformation — and the role played by the media itself along withand social media companies in spreading it — but that many are also concerned about growing threats to journalists' safety.
That breakdown in trust may prompt many Americans to reject the mainstream news media, often in favor of social media and unreliable websites that spread misleading claims and that can become partisan echo chambers, leading to further polarization. “I think it’s tearing this country apart," Salegna, 50, told the AP. "Since the 2016 election I think it’s gotten a lot worse.”