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No Surprise: Fox News Is Most (And Least) Trusted News Organization

» 17 comments

fnc-20090817-oreillysocSacred Heart University released the results of their third annual “Trust and Satisfaction with the National News Media” survey, and if you put your money on all the favorites in your office pools, you likely will be cashing in today.

Are you sitting down? Some people really trust Fox News. Other people, they don’t trust Fox News at all.

Out of all the questions (about new media, the Fairness Doctrine and more), the one that seems to be getting the most attention is the “trust” question. Fox News can steal CNN’s slogan as “the most trusted name in news,” since they were the clear favorite in the SHU survey. Actually, there’s probably some study somewhere that puts CNN at the top of the list. FNC came in with 30% of the vote, followed by CNN at 19.5%, NBC (7.5%) and ABC (7.5%).

And now for the organization people trusted least – another Fox News win. FNC had 26.2%, followed by NBC (9.9%), MSNBC (9.4%) and CNN (8.5%).

So what does this mean? Well first of all, more people picked FNC and CNN as most trustworthy than least trustworthy, which contrasts the response for NBC and MSNBC. But really, no one should be surprised by this. Fox News has their fans – a huge, ardent base – and they have their detractors – a smaller, but also ardent group. This is reflected very clearly in the results.

Another interesting stat comes when looking at most trusted anchor. Proving the continued power of evening newscasts, the top three were the anchors of each network’s broadcast. The retiring Charlie Gibson finished 1st (19.8%), Brian Williams was 2nd (17.3%) and Katie Couric a distant 3rd (9.9%). Right behind Couric was the cable news entry in the top six – Bill O’Reilly of Fox News (no surprise here either).

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  • Agent Orangutan

    I find it quite shocking (well, not really) that the ~10% of this country that is borderline certifiable, and who happen to make up a significant chunk of FNC’s core audience, believe the crap they are being spoon-fed is credible “news”. Kinda sad when you think about it.

  • m

    Agent Orangutan, on top of that they believe equal conservative commentary (“fair and balanced”) to be equal to middle-down-the-road reporting (“liberal bias”).

  • Billy Carter

    You Left Wingers will always remain stubbornly in denial. FNC will continue to dominate as long as there is an NBC/MSNBC in existence, spewing lies and hate. Keep watching Matthews, Olbermann & Maddow as the next round of layoffs come about at the crumbling MSNBC. Gotta go, I’m watching Glenn Beck mocking the haters who blogged him as a “frog killer”…..HAHAHAHAHAHA.
    Start tuning in to FNC or CNN for true journalism and political opinion.

  • CaptainAmerica

    Agent O and M are just here to provide us with entertainment. We get to see just how far out from reality the left in this country really is…..

    Airhead America went bankrupt. MSNBC and CNN couldn’t draw viewers if you gave their hosts crayons.

    Funny how CNN was less trusted than MSNBC. CNN is bad but MSNBC is an outright joke.

  • Agent Orangutan

    I’m literally laughing out loud that I’m here defending MSNBC, but it does hammer home the point quite beautifully as to how absolutely nuts FNCtards trully are.

    Again, do any of you FNCtards have any evidence that MSNBC is losing money?

  • Billy Carter

    @AO
    “Again, do any of you FNCtards have any evidence that MSNBC is losing money?”

    Don’t be lazy…..look it up…don’t expect everyone to do the work for you. Use your keyboard!!!!

  • CaptainAmerica

    Again, do any of you FNCtards have any evidence that MSNBC is losing money?>

    What part of NBC/MSNBC layoffs (3rd round) don’t you understand???

  • CaptainAmerica

    Here ya go and not only is this the 3rd round (but the 2nd in less than a year):

    http://www.observer.com/2009/media/nbc-universal-seeking-another-round-voluntary-buyouts-news-staff

  • Billy Carter
  • Agent Orangutan

    Reading comprehension is fundamental.

    Ok, so you guys can’t point to anything that proves MSNBC is losing money. As mentioned, layoffs aren’t a sign that a company isn’t profitable… but you are FNCtards, so anything that requires a modicum of inspection/thought/analysis is obviously lost on you.

    I’m a nice guy tho, so I’ll help you out: According to their most recent 2nd quarter results, NBC Universal’s cable television group produced, which houses MSNBC, earned “$1.2 billion in revenue, up 3% over last year, for an operating profit of $595 million. That was 7% higher than in 2008.” MSNBC earned an estimated $135 million in profit in 2008.

  • ImNotBlue

    Exactly, AO! MSNBC and NBC are doing fine! The fact that they’re laying off people, again… and they’ve continued to downsize for a few years now… mean’s nothing! Companies that are doing fine, and making substantial profits often try to cut down their staff to a skeleton crew, sell production facilities, and re-use reports across networks to illustrate how well they’re doing financially! I predict, that in a few months, they’ll be doing even better… and so they’re fire a bunch more people!

    DUUUUUUUUUUUUH.

  • Agent Orangutan

    ImNotBlue, what part of $135 million dollar profit isn’t registering with you? Are you FNCtards so completely brain dead that you don’t recognize, nor understand, what the word “profit” means?

    I asked for proof that MSNBC was losing money or about to go out of business and the FACTS prove that neither is the case as they are making a shit-ton of money ($135,000,000 in profit does indeed count as a shit-ton).

    What really gets me about you FNCtards (and why sensible conservatives cringe at the thought of being lumped in with you) is that you cling to FNC because it is “fair and balanced” yet you FNCtards couldn’t define “fair” or “balanced” if they were naked and sitting on your lap.

  • CaptainAmerica

    Where did people say they were losing money? You kept crying about that after people were talking about they were havin ANOTHER round of layoffs?

    And no, $135M does not count as an enormous amount. Also, that was last years figures. Don’t count on them having anything close to that. Their viewership is down considerably since then and they’ve lost 3 M homes.

    Also, like I said, FNC makes 5 times what MSNBC does in license fees. Hell, FBN makes the same amount MSNBC as a license fee. You really must be in awe of them.

    Why don’t you talk about the big question. How much Bill O Reilly hurt GE’s stock price. How many billions did Bill cost GE/NBC?

    Also, the layoffs are part of NBC and MSNBC divisions and of course you get fixated on MSLSD.

  • Agent Orangutan

    Captain, I love that you answer to your name of FNCtard, on 2 threads no less!:
    http://www.mediaite.com/online/necro-economics-ed-schultz-claims-republicans-want-to-see-you-dead/#comment-5186

    You recognize your own. Very good. We’re making baby steps here. And since you’ve seen fit to double your point, I’ll do the same by reposting my reply (which I linked to above).

    And yes, we all know that FNC is making a shit-ton of money off of you FNCtards, but this isn’t news. There has to be a place in which all of the racist/homophobic/illiterate/a-holes in this country can gather together and share the very few thoughts you have amongst the group – and Fox News be thy name. You fools will buy anything wrapped in a flag, smothered in racism and sprinkled with Jesus. (BTW, Jesus does not approve of the race baiting loonery that is Fox News; nor does he approve of you sheep FNCtards who eat their racist shit up with a spoon.)

    So apparently we’ve established that MSNBC is profitable. Good. We’ve made some progress here as well. One FNCtard recognizing a fact for being a fact. Maybe one day we’ll be able to talk about evolution and other daunting affronts to your white-Christian-Americans ARE America mentality.

  • CaptainAmerica

    Once again AgentTard, you’ve established NOTHING in regards to 2009. You are the one who LIED and changed what people were saying to MSNBC is losing money. Why did you change the subject? Do you take cues from Keith on how to lie about things?

    Also, once again, you haven’t established that MSNBC is profitable in 2009. All you did is talk about 2008. Here’s a hint– its 2009! SInce then, MSNBC has lost 3 million homes. Keith was given a significant raise. Ad revenue and ratings for MSNBC are way down this year.

    So once again, you have nothing to say about NBC NEWS/ MSNBC having to go through their 3rd round of layoffs. They should start with Olbynut!

  • Agent Orangutan

    CaptainAmerica… er, FNCtard:

    In the 2nd Quarter of this year, NBC Universal’s cable television group posted “$1.2 billion in revenue, up 3% over last year, for an operating profit of $595 million. That was 7% higher than in 2008.”

    And directly from the GE conference call announcing said Q2 earnings: “MSNBC beat CNN in prime ages 25 to 54 and total viewers for the full quarter, first time ever. And their profit was up 8%.”

    Thanks for playing. Grab a tissue, you’ve got some drool about to drip on your keyboard.

  • CaptainAmerica

    Yeah, lunatic fringe moron. Play at one or the other. Your double posting of your lies and nonsense is getting old. Remember you are the one who FLAT OUT LIED about what was being said.

    Your nonsense about MSNBC winning the demo from CNN. You failed to point out how much further CNN had fallen in the ratings. It had NOTHING to do with MSLSD’s pathetic ratings.

    Yes, MSLSD probably did have a higher profit in the 2nd quarter of 2009 than 2008. Talking about the whole year MORON! Remember, MSLDS’s ratings began to go downhill AFTER they resigned Olbynut to his huge contract extension and payment. That happened AFTER the 2nd quarter. But don’t let REALITY play a part in this.

    Also, why are you using 25 to 54. That doesn’t matter to Keith anymore. Rememer, he’s gotten beaten so much by Nancy Grace in that demo, he made up one and says he wins 35 and under! LMAO!! He just “made it up”.

    So here comes another round of layoffs for NBC News/MSNNBC. Maybe if they dump enough people again…. they can claim a “victory”.

    Now go grab your little tissue and cry yourself a river! And funny how the Tonight Show is poised to make more profit (for one show) than the tiny amount an entire network- MSLSD will make!

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