Newspaper Public Attitudes - 2006 Annual Report

When the public is asked for its favorability rating towards newspapers, the local daily paper has regularly fared much better than national publications. The trend continued in 2005.

Nearly three quarters (72%) of those surveyed in June 2005 gave the daily newspaper they are “most familiar with” either a very favorable or mostly favorable rating, according to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. That is about the same or slightly higher than ratings for other news sources: local television (73%), network television news (68%), and cable news (67%).

That is not true, however, for the country’s national newspapers. For “large, nationally influential newspapers such as The New York Times” and “The Washington Post,” just 38% of the public gives a favorable rating — nearly half that of the local newspapers. Most analysts explain the gap as one of proximity and connectedness. The closer the staff is to the lives of the readers, the more the readers tend to trust them.1

Favorability Ratings of Media Outlets, 2005

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Source: Pew Research Center for The People and The Press, "Public More Critical of Press, But Goodwill Persists," June 26, 2005

* qu: Now I’d like your opinion of some groups and organizations in the news. (First) would you say your overall opinion of …is very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable?

Large national papers have historically been the least favored news source for Americans. Just 48% gave them a favorable rating in 1985, for example, according to Pew data. But what separates them from other news outlets is how much their favorability rating has dropped since 2001, especially compared to television and local daily newspapers. Since 2001, large national papers have fallen 14 percentage points, from 52% to 38%. While all other media types have experienced declines, those of the big papers, perhaps with the exception of cable television, have been the steepest.2

Favorability Ratings of Media Outlets, 2005 vs. 2001

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Source: Pew Research Center for The People and The Press, "Public More Critical of Press, But Goodwill Persists," June 26, 2005

* qu: Now I’d like your opinion of some groups and organizations in the news. (First) would you say your overall opinion of …is very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable?