A new Pew Research poll has revealed that a majority of journalists do not think both sides of political debates deserve equal coverage.
According to the poll, published on Wednesday, 55% of journalists said that every side does not always deserve equal coverage when discussing political topics, compared to 44% who believed that it was their duty to at the very least “strive” to give equal coverage to either side.
A divide in opinions can be seen in age, media type, and political leaning of the journalists in question. 63% of journalists under 30 do not believe in equal coverage, with 60% of those between 30 and 49 believing the same, as compared to their older counterparts, with an almost even split in answers.
Journalists who work in television are the most likely to think that attention should be given to every side of an argument, with 55% agreeing. Radio journalists are split down the middle, with 56% of print reporters and 61% of online reporters saying that equal coverage should not be provided.
The biggest section of journalists who think that reporting should not be evenly spread when debating contentious issues are those who work for self-described left-leaning outlets, with 69% of them not believing in fair coverage. 57% of those who work for right-leaning outlets think that all sides of the issue should be debated, with another even split of those who did not ascribe a side.
News reporters who believe that misinformation is a serious issue are also more likely to be against equally platforming differing opinions, with 59% of them saying as such. 53% of those who think it is only a moderately big problem, small, or not one at all, disagree with their counterparts.
This is in stark contrast to average Americans, with just over three quarters of American adults thinking that equal time should be given to various sides of a poltiical debate. While there are differences across age and party lines, a strong majority in every group still believes in not presenting biased coverage.
Older adults are the most likely to believe that journalists should provide equal coverage to all sides, with 80% saying so – this then falls to 71% of respondents under 30. 87% of Republicans also support unbiased coverage, as opposed to 68% of Democrats.
Trust in the media also correlates with a lack of care as to how stories are portrayed, although it still remains a majority. 66% of Americans who trust the news think that equal coverage should be strived towards, with 84% of those saying they have no or little trust thinking it is important to do so.
