SEEK THE TRUTH: Americans Increasingly Only Want News from Reporters They Agree With

·29 min·2 clips

A new Pew poll shows almost half of Republicans have zero trust in national media organizations—why has it come to this?

Sara Carter opens by questioning how listeners decide who to trust in today's expanded media landscape, including citizen journalists and social platforms. She recalls her early career as a print reporter at The Washington Times, where she and Eli Lake broke the story about Obama closing CIA black sites, emphasizing rigorous sourcing and editorial standards. Carter introduces a Pew Research poll showing nearly half of Republicans distrust national media, which she attributes to skewed journalism. She explains her personal shift from objective reporter to opinionated columnist after observing media treatment of Donald Trump, including journalists crying on TV after Hillary Clinton's loss and admitting they would write anything to stop Trump. The poll finds 39% of Americans want journalists who share their politics, nearly double those prioritizing shared religion or background. Carter argues this leads to confirmation bias, where people miss opposing viewpoints and risk manipulation. She cites the Christopher Steele dossier as an example of false information leaked by intelligence agencies and spread by media like CNN. Carter highlights the post-October 7th coverage of Israel, where protests quickly overshadowed Hamas's attacks. She shares a story by Eli Lake and Francesca Block about Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib speaking at a Palestine conference alongside individuals linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a designated terrorist group, noting many wouldn't hear this on MSNBC. Carter contrasts her current role as an opinion maker with her past objective reporting, where she ensured multiple sources and accuracy. She reflects on interviewing protesters who chanted 'from the river to the sea' without knowing what it meant. Carter concludes by urging listeners to occasionally consider the other side to avoid manipulation, acknowledging the media landscape is evolving into something new. The episode includes ads for Gold Co. and MyPillow, and ends with a call for audience engagement on their media habits.

As heard by us

A pointed argument for widening the news diet before confirmation bias takes over.

The episode looks at how Americans choose their news, opening with the host's memory of print reporting at the Washington Times, where finding sources and building a story came before making video.

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Why you'd press play

You want to test what your usual news sources may be leaving outside the frame.

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