Much of the United States' mainstream media have made an art of lying, distorting, omitting and purposely misleading the masses. They also continue to give the matter not a single worry, even though media consumers are clearly tuned in to their deceptive ways.

A new poll released last week shows that Americans are not only distrustful of the corporate, establishment media, but also that the lack of trust is tops in the world.

The poll, sponsored by Oxford University's Reuters Institute, and conducted by YouGov, surveyed 46 media markets across six continents. The survey questioned more than 90,000 people, and the United States media won first place, as its viewers expressed the least amount of trust in the validity of their reporting. 

Trust in the United States mainstream media stands at just 29%.

At the same time, the survey shows that across the world, "trust in the news has grown, on average, by six percentage points in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic - with 44% of our total sampling saying they trust most news most of the time," says Nic Newman, a senior research associate at the Reuters Institute.

Finland has the highest levels of trust, at 65%, more than double the United States' 29%. 

As many U.S. consumers continue to catch on and lose faith in the media, some have tuned out altogether. Interest in the news across America has dropped 11% since the still-questioned election. Only 55% of American respondents say they are interested in the news. Newman notes that this shift is most pronounced among right-leaning groups, with Newman adding, "our data show signs that many former Trump supporters may be switching away from news altogether. Almost all of this fall in interest came from those on the political right."  He also points out that many Americans, "especially with younger people and those with lower levels of education," are riding the technological wave and gravitating to non-traditional sources of news. 

The poll, conducted between January and February of this year, would naturally act as a wake-up call to any news outlet actually interested in presenting fairly-reported news to consumers, rather than in shaping narratives. For the few still steeped in the idealistic, traditional view of "journalism," Newman says there is true cause for concern.

"Our findings that both political partisans and young people feel unfairly represented will be especially troubling for media companies looking to build engagement both across political divides and with the next generation," Newman said.  

His conclusion makes the assumption that mainstream American journalists share, deep in their hearts, these lofty heights at which to aim. Based on the daily evidence and years of breathtaking duplicity, American consumers are clearly not ready to extend their mainstream, corporate media the courtesy of that assumption.

Overall, the poll still sheds a bit of bright news for the U.S. media establishment. If they wish to turn back to noble roots, some consumers may still afford them the chance. If not, at least their diligent work has them standing proud and tall, finally first in the world at something.