Staff Reports
In a recent inquiry conducted by The Hollywood Reporter and Morning Consult, the quest was to uncover the most trusted news anchors and journalists according to viewers. With 2,239 adults participating, the survey aimed to gauge the level of trust in prominent figures within the news industry. Respondents were presented with three options: “A lot/some,” “Not much/Not at all,” and “Don’t know/no opinion.”
This Is Why Nobody Trusts the Media: 'Most Trusted News Anchors in America' Poll Has Wild Results via @WestJournalism https://t.co/wihyGXYXMa
— Kenny, USA Patriot (@kennethy69) May 28, 2024
The roster of news correspondents under scrutiny hailed from CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, Fox News, NBC, and NewsNation. While some outcomes aligned with expectations, there were also curveballs, prompting scrutiny of the survey's accuracy in reflecting viewer trust.
Leading the trust chart was NBC News anchor Lester Holt, commanding 65 percent of respondents in the “A lot/some” category. ABC News’ Robin Roberts and David Muir weren't far behind, securing 64 percent and 63 percent respectively in the same bracket. Notably, former Fox News face turned CNN host, Chris Wallace, and CNN staple Anderson Cooper both garnered 60 percent for the trust factor.
Unexpectedly, MSNBC’s Joy Reid landed at 44 percent in the “A lot/some” bracket, while Rachel Maddow surprisingly notched 51 percent. On the flip side, Fox News’ Harris Faulkner topped with 53 percent, closely trailed by Greg Gutfeld at 51 percent. Former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson found himself with the highest “Not much/Not at all” score at 49 percent, despite his steadfast following.
Former CNN figures Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon divided respondents. Cuomo garnered 43 percent trust and 39 percent distrust, while Lemon's numbers settled at 44 percent trust and 35 percent distrust, respectively.
The survey outcomes cast a shadow on the reliability of certain media platforms and personalities. Despite Jeff Zucker's exit in 2022, CNN continues to carry a predominantly partisan image. It's also intriguing that Lemon and Cuomo garnered higher trust ratings than Carlson, particularly considering Cuomo's entanglement in aiding his brother during sexual misconduct allegations in 2021.
