When News Consumption Collides with Distrust

Sharon Smith: Politics with a Dash of “Rag Magazines”

Sharon Smith is a 65-year-old African American who identifies as both a woman and female. Politically, she leans liberal to very liberal, though she acknowledges that the lines between political categories can be blurred. While she expresses support for progressive values, she remains skeptical of how those values are represented in mainstream media. Sharon does not financially support any news organizations through subscriptions, donations, or memberships.

She is an avid reader of People Magazine, which she considers the most reliable source for celebrity news—distinguishing it from what she calls “rag magazines.” She criticized tabloids like National Enquirer and Us Magazine for their sensationalism, saying they “take smoke and turn it into fire.” Interestingly, she also cited TikTok as a trusted media source due to its “authenticity from everyday people,” estimating that about 70% of the content she sees there is trustworthy, despite acknowledging it’s not a traditional news outlet. Sharon also mentioned The New York Post as a source she does not trust, citing its bias. She recently stopped trusting The Washington Post after the firing of Black journalist Karen Attiah, who had quoted Charlie Kirk—recently shot and killed at a college rally in Utah (insert reference). Overall, she rates her trust in media at 2.5 out of 4, citing skepticism and biased reporting as the main reasons.

Sharon defines quality journalism as reporting from all sides, regardless of personal opinion. She believes unbiased reporting means presenting facts without inserting bias, even though she acknowledges that complete neutrality is difficult and often unrealistic. Her ideal version of journalism allows audiences to form their own opinions rather than being told what to think. She expressed disappointment in outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, which she once trusted but now views as politicized. She referenced the Murdoch family’s acquisition of The Wall Street Journal in 2007, noting Rupert Murdoch’s description of the paper as a “protector of the conservative voice” (Fitzgerald, 2025). Sharon’s distrust has grown as she perceives more media outlets inciting fear and censorship.

To restore her trust, Sharon believes news organizations should acknowledge their biases and commit to reporting from all angles. She suggests that even a disclaimer such as, “The views of this source do not reflect our opinion, but we’re reporting it to inform everyone,” would demonstrate transparency and help rebuild credibility—though she doubts any outlet will take that approach.

She views local news as appropriately focused on regional issues, though she notes it may lack depth in international coverage. In contrast, she expects international outlets to provide more comprehensive global reporting.

Sharon does not believe journalists consistently verify claims, citing a lack of credible sourcing. She strongly distrusts journalists who avoid hard questions and present only one-sided narratives. She also expressed discomfort with how Trump has treated journalists, including revoking press passes and pressuring media companies to fire those who oppose his views.

She names Joy Reid, Don Lemon, Chris Hayes, Wolf Blitzer, and Roland Martin as journalists she trusts, praising their ability to report opposing perspectives and cite their sources. While she acknowledges her own biases, she appreciates these journalists because they share her values and perspectives. Sharon expressed disappointment over Joy Reid’s firing from MSNBC, which the network attributed to restructuring and declining ratings. Reid, however, alleged racial bias played a role, as she was outspoken in her criticism of Trump and his policies.

Edward Smith: Progressive Fire and Media Mistrust

Edward Smith is a 72-year-old African American man who identifies as male. He describes his political views as progressive, emphasizing the need for constitutional rights to be fully extended to people of color—a step beyond traditional liberalism.

Edward’s news subscriptions go beyond typical traditional outlets. He subscribes to the Smithsonian Institute and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He previously held subscriptions with The New York Times and The Washington Post, but canceled them due to changes in ownership. Multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos acquired The Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million (ABC News, 2013). Edward shared his disappointment over the paper’s lack of presidential endorsement during Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign—a move he felt was racially targeted (Jeff Bezos Defends Washington Post’s Decision to Stop Presidential Endorsements Days Before Election, 2024). He also mentioned corporate bias and the failure to represent marginalized perspectives, specifically citing the lack of reporting on genocides in Palestine and Sudan. For Edward, this has led to a profound distrust in mainstream journalism. He rates his trust below the scale of 1–4, stating he is extremely unlikely to trust mainstream journalism at all. He explained he feels “corporate media never tells the truth” and is beholden to political and financial interests.

Edward listed widely consumed outlets like MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, Newsmax, and Fox News as untrustworthy. He even referred to Fox News as “Faux News,” accusing them of spewing conservative and harmful propaganda. He added the only time you see any representation on Fox News “they don’t reflect the views of the community they are apart of.” He elaborated on this distrust by citing his disappointment in MSNBC’s firing of journalists Melissa Harris-Perry and Tiffany Cross. Perry was fired after she failed to appear on air, claiming she felt silenced when MSNBC took away her team’s editorial control and failed to respond to her emails.

“I will not be used as a tool for their purposes. I am not a token, mammy, or little brown bobble head,” Perry said following her firing from the network (Folkenflik, 2021).

Some news sources Edward trusts include The Nation, The Atlantic, and Al Jazeera, which he values for their global perspectives. He describes these outlets as examples of quality journalism due to their use of verified facts, cited sources, and willingness to offer multiple viewpoints. He admires their coverage of Israel and appreciates that they are not afraid to challenge large media conglomerates.

Edward criticizes local news for its overemphasis on crime in Black communities and its lack of balance in racial framing. “Crime is just crime—there is no Black-on-Black crime or White-on-White crime,” he said, pointing to the lack of nuance in local reporting. He feels international news often reflects a “Western bias” and prefers outlets like BBC Africa and BBC India for their broader representation. While he appreciates their inclusion of diverse voices, he remains skeptical of their overall integrity.

He believes many journalists fail to challenge public figures when they blatantly lie, often out of fear of losing their jobs, which leads to weak accountability. Edward feels news outlets could earn his trust if journalists were more assertive and directly confronted misinformation. Although he thinks print journalism offers more substance than on-air reporting, he believes it is often clouded by opinions that incite fear and misrepresent facts and statistics.

Edward argues that profit motives have corrupted modern journalism across the board. He specifically mentions CNN as having become soft and compromised, crumbling under financial pressures.

Kyle Louviere: Non-Conforming Views in a Conforming Media World

Kyle Louviere is a 31-year-old Black individual who describes their identity as complicated but identifies as non-conforming—often defined as appearance, behavior, or identity that doesn’t align with traditional gender norms. Politically, Louviere leans liberal and defines that stance as a belief in evolving societal norms and revising traditional structures to be more inclusive.

Louviere currently does not financially support any news organizations through subscriptions or donations. When asked why, they explained that it’s not part of their financial journey and they choose not to support large multi-billion dollar institutions. However, they occasionally use their parents’ subscription to The Wall Street Journal.

Louviere describes their trust in mainstream media as a solid 3 out of 4, approaching journalism with general optimism but maintaining a healthy amount of skepticism. They assume initial truthfulness but prefer to verify information independently.

Social media—specifically Instagram—is Louviere’s primary news source. They value multiple perspectives from different users reporting on the same event. Louviere mentions content creators @KevOnStage and @AmandaSeales. Kevin Fredericks-a comedian who offers social and political commentary geared toward the Black community (Noel, 2025).  Seales is known for her aggressive but passionate approach to issues many are afraid to address; with a Master’s in African American Studies, she offers a unique perspective on the Black experience in America (Lawrence, 2025).  Another trusted source Louvier relies on is “interpersonal relations,” such as family members who share real-time information.

Louviere does not outright distrust any specific news outlets, expressing skepticism toward all sources and preferring to research independently before forming opinions. They haven’t stopped following any particular news brand but will occasionally engage with popular news stories. Louviere explained that they haven’t encountered news that felt like an outright lie in their personal consumption.

Louviere believes that quality journalism involves acknowledging personal bias, presenting opposing viewpoints, and recognizing the influence of opinion in reporting. They are more likely to trust news sources that are transparent about their perspective while still including opposing sides. Louviere acknowledges that truly unbiased reporting is rare and typically not a characteristic of opinion-based journalism from large conglomerates like CNN or MSNBC.

Although, Louviere was not entirely sure what steps news organizations could take to rebuild trust, they stated that “acknowledging and addressing biases would be a meaningful step to restore trust and credibility.”

While Louviere is not a heavy consumer of international or local news, they believe journalistic standards should be consistent across all platforms—highlighting fairness, factual accuracy, and bias awareness.

When asked about fact-checking and verification, Louviere mentioned Abby Phillip—a prominent journalist and political correspondent who blends analysis and storytelling in her program CNN NewsNight. Louvier enjoys their style and the way they  frames stories, calling it “captivating and newsworthy.”

Louviere is aware of the distinction between analysis and opinion in journalism, though they note that this awareness varies by medium. For example, podcasts make it easier to detect tone and intent, while written formats require more in-depth reading to determine whether the content is analytical or opinion-based.

Previously, Louviere viewed all content as reflecting the organization’s overall stance, but now sees it as case by case. They argue that while organizations may lean a certain way, individual pieces can differ in tone or intent. Louvier prefers to evaluate each piece independently rather than assume it reflects the entire organization.

Observations and Trends

Based on the three interviews I conducted, I noticed a few key trends: deep skepticism toward mainstream media, a preference for alternative and social media sources, and a desire for transparency and better verification—whether that be individual or from the news source itself.

All three participants expressed that their skepticism was rooted in the perception of bias, corporate influence, and political pressure. This was fascinating because their skepticism aligns with national data reporting that 45% of registered Republicans and 52% of independents express confidence in the press, compared to 71% of Democrats (Team & Team, 2023). I also noticed that when asked about their political leanings, none of the interviewees fit neatly into a defined category. This suggests that how we define our political affiliations is evolving.

I also observed that all three interviewees mentioned receiving their news from smaller platforms, written publications, and social media. Sharon uses Tik-Tok, and Louviere turns to Instagram to digest news. Edward takes a more traditional approach, relying on written publications like The Nation. Nationally, 54% of US adults say they get news from social media at least sometimes, and 18% prefer it over traditional platforms (Atske, 2025). This reflects a broader shift in news consumption.

All three interviewees stressed the importance of transparency in reporting, fact-checking, and sharing all sides—even when journalists have personal biases. This reflects broader findings: African American and Hispanic adults are more likely than white adults to say it’s important to see their communities represented in reporting (Team & Team, 2023b).  Louviere and Edward, in particular, emphasized the importance of independently verifying information—a habit that mirrors broader trends among news consumers who prioritize digital access, transparency, and personalized research.

Sharon, Edward, and Louviere each expressed skepticism toward news outlets they perceive as politically compromised, though their reasons and levels of distrust varied. Sharon and Edward specifically pointed to the firing of prominent Black journalists as signs of media suppression and bias, reflecting broader national trends in which political identity shapes media trust.

These trends suggest a shift away from passive consumption toward active, critical engagement with news. They also highlight the importance of representation, transparency, and accountability in building trust—especially among communities historically underserved by mainstream media.

Final Reflection

As I reflect on the interviews I conducted, I realized that we all have different expectations of media—but Black people in particular share a unique perspective on how they’d like to be represented. I think our history contributes to much of our skepticism in the news sphere. Black people are rarely represented accurately, and when we are, it’s typically short-lived.

I feel as though I need to adjust my role as a journalist in my community. I question how I will deliver the needs of not only my community but of all communities. It’s going to be impossible to meet everyone’s needs, but I see that transparency, verification, and multi-perspective reporting are good for us all.

I find myself deeply emotional as I write this, knowing the state of the world. I did not consider how difficult a task we face as journalists—being fired and silenced, while lies spread rampantly without repercussions or correction. I always knew investigative reporting was dangerous, but I’m now starting to consider how dangerous everyday, verified reporting can be. I ask myself: am I willing to lose my job and integrity for the pursuit? I would like to say yes, but who knows until you’re met with that choice. I also realized I will need to navigate working for a large media conglomerate that may be actively harming my community. There’s a lot to unpack.

Conducting these interviews was both rewarding and scary. I wasn’t sure if I would be a good interviewer or if I’d be able to leave my own biases out of reporting their stories. I have so much more to learn, and this assignment has helped me understand the impact I have as a journalist. I’ve learned that my responsibility is even bigger than I ever imagined. My role is vital to fostering a better community and finding solutions to help rebuild trust among news consumers. I look forward to hopefully being part of the dire need for improvements in the journalism field.