The media's trust problem
May 06, 2026
VIDEOSGZERO World with Ian BremmerQuick TakePUPPET REGIMEIan ExplainsGZERO ReportsAsk IanGlobal Stage
Site Navigation
Search
Human content,
AI powered search.
Latest Stories
Sign up for GZERO Daily.
Get our latest updates and insights delivered to your inbox.
Puppet Regime is up for a Webby Award!
VOTE HERE
Ian Explains
On Ian Explains, host Ian Bremmer makes complex issues about global politics understandable. Ian Explains is a weekly segment on GZERO WORLD with Ian Bremmer, GZERO's weekly program about global news and current affairs.
Presented by
Do you trust us?
A recent Pew Research Center poll found that fewer than half of Americans have trust in journalists to act in the public’s best interests — a share that has been falling for years. At the same time, partisanship is surging, and generative AI is challenging the very notion of truth.
We’ve come a long way from the days when CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite was regarded as “the most trusted man in America.” In 1976, two-thirds of the American public had confidence in the media to accurately report the news – even after the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandals rocked the country. Today, that number sits at a little less than 30%.
How did things change so much?
One tipping point, the data suggests, was the Iraq war, which saw trust in journalists drop by 10%, along with an overall decline in trust for US institutions.
In an episode of “ian explains,” filmed in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Ian Bremmer broke down how the media landscape – and the interaction between politics and the media – has evolved over the last few decades.
And as the US heads into a contentious midterm election season and notches more primaries on its belt, the media faces yet another test. Watch the video here.
Keep reading...Show less
More from Ian Explains
GZERO Series
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer
Puppet Regime
Quick Take
ask ian
Ian Explains
GZERO Reports
GZERO Europe
The Debrief
© 2026 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group company.
GZERO Daily: our free newsletter about global politics
Keep up with what’s going on around the world - and why it matters.