They like us. They really like us. Well, let's not go overboard.
But this new survey from the Pew Research Center seems to indicate that the public's usually dim view of journalists is brightening noticeably. Here are the vital stats:
While views of government, Congress and the political parties have sagged, public satisfaction with the news media has rebounded over the past few years. Since October, the percentage rating the news media favorably has risen seven points (to 59%). A little over a year ago, in December 2004, just 43% rated the news media favorably.
While Republicans take a far dimmer view of the news media than do Democrats, Americans on both sides of the political divide feel more favorably than they have in recent years. Currently, 49% of Republicans rate the media favorably, and 48% give an unfavorable rating. The favorable-to-unfavorable margin among Republicans last October was 44% to 53%. Fully 71% of Democrats give the press a favorable rating, up from 62% in October. And independents also give better ratings today (57%) than last fall (50%).
I'm not sure I can account for this sudden rush of affection for the Fourth Estate. It's possible that admiration for the coverage of Hurricane Katrina had something to do with it. But then the October 2005 survey should have fully reflected that as well.
In another piece of good news for news gatherers, the public is apparently growing more willing to let the media, rather than the goverrnment, decide what news is fit to print. Here's that result:
With security concerns paramount in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, many Americans saw justification for government censorship of news stories that might threaten security efforts. But in the years since, Americans on both sides of the political spectrum have moved away from this position, and are more likely to back the media's right to report on stories they see as in the national interest.
Currently, 56% say it is more important for the news media to report stories they feel are in the national interest, while just 34% believe it is more important for the government to censor news stories on national security grounds. In February 2003, somewhat fewer (50%) backed the media's right to report; in November 2001, two months after the 9/11 attacks, the balance of opinion was in favor of government censorship.
I wonder how much of this sentiment is simply attributable to an easing of 9/11-related fear as time passes, how much might be related to the sense that the government's largely unchallenged WMD rationale for going to war in Iraq proved wrong, and how much might be related to the New York Times huge scoop on warrantless wiretaps. (Sorry guys. I'm still not paying for Times content.)