A new Pew Research Journalism Project study found that Americans trust Jon Stewart’s fake newscast to deliver the news about government and politics more than they trust Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.
The Pew survey analyzed political polarization and media habits. One of their conclusions was that a comedian delivering a fake newscast is more trusted than the top three conservative talk radio stars who influence Republican politics.
The study asked who people trusted most to deliver the news about politics and government. ABC, NBC, and CNN all topped 50% in trust. They were followed by CBS (46%) and Fox News (44%). The least trusted sources were Rush Limbaugh (39%), Fox News (37%), Glenn Beck (24%), and Sean Hannity (21%). The sources least trusted by the overall population were the ones that conservatives trusted the most. Conservatives most trusted Fox News (88%), Sean Hannity (62%), Rush Limbaugh (58%), and Glenn Beck (51%).
Here’s a chart from Pew ranking the overall trust level of many mainstream media outlets:
Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show was trusted by 16% of total respondents and distrusted by 18%. Stewart’s trust level of 16%, which was higher than Sean Hannity’s (12%), Rush Limbaugh’s (12%), and Glenn Beck’s (10%).
This means that Jon Stewart is a more trusted source for news than the three of the four sources that conservatives trust the most. The disconnect between what the population as a whole deems trustworthy compared to what conservatives trust is more evidence that conservatives are living in an ideological bubble.
When a comedian has more credibility than three of the four most trusted conservative media figures, it is a sign that the conservative movement is reinforcing it’s own beliefs with a self fulfilling cycle of ideological flim-flam.
Jon Stewart has more credibility than most of the conservative media, because he doesn’t shape his program to fit an agenda. The American people aren’t stupid. The only people being fooled by Limbaugh and Hannity and the others are the desperate true believers of the conservative movement.
Score another point for reality, truth, and Jon Stewart.

Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
Is anyone seriously surprised?
I trust Jon Stewart and Al Jazeera more the Fox any day
I’m surprised that more people distrust Al Jazeera America because that one is the only network that doesn’t seem to bend over and let the right wing media have it’s way with it.
In 5 4 3 2 1 a teahadist will come and say but fox has more viewers so take that. Like the crooks in Wisconsin kindly reminded you brain dead numbskulls
Top Republican Official Calls Wisconsin Voters Stupid While Campaigning For Scott Walker
http://politicususa.wpengine.com/2014/10/21/top-republican-official-campaigns-scott-walker-calling-wisconsin-voters-stupid.html
Of course! Jon Stewart is not an asshole! The rest are assholes of the highest order!
Al Jazeera gives a broader world view in my opinion
if you just mention any country outside of the United States, and Washington DC in particular, you have a broader worldview than the Rest of the media
just because McDonalds sells the most “hamburgers” it doesn’t mean they’re good
All Reich wing chickenhawks are assholes. All of them
Michael Savage Is Sick And Tired Of Veterans With PTSD Crying Like Babies
Conservative radio host Michael Savage called veterans with PTSD a bunch of whiny, crybabies who are weak and only live for a government handout.
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/10/michael-savage-sick-and-tired-veterans
I’m definitely one of those who trusts Jon Stewart (and his cohorts, John Oliver and Stephen Colbert) and Al-Jazeera far more than anything that Limbaugh, Hannity and their ilk ever spew. However, this kind of reporting leaves out some critical details: what was the makeup of the respondents? Demographics, voting habits, location, education, etc.
I am disinclined to believe that the results of this study actually reflect overall US sentiment, given the size of the Limbaugh-loving crowd and Congress’ current composition. Of course, this leaves out the whole question of gerrymandering, too, doesn’t it? ;-)
Rush Limbaugh’s Audience May Be Much Smaller Than You Think
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/rush-limbaughs-audience-may-be-so-much-smaller-than-you-think-2012-3#ixzz3GoxnO9JY
“…common industry shorthand to determine the actual size of a radio audience at any given moment is to cut the cume figure down by a factor of 10, which would mean Limbaugh’s 20 million becomes 2 million. Or, if you take the more modest cume number of 14 million, which some inside the industry have used to judge the talker’s audience, Limbaugh’s rating becomes 1.4 million, which is roughly the same size audience that Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann get each night on cable TV.”
So there is it: Absent better data, only 1.4 million people listen to Limbaugh at any one time.
And he is losing market share
His rudeness nails it when it comes to trust
David Brooks: “Ebola Crisis” Fear Is Totally Understandable Because David Brooks Understands It In today’s episode of David Brooks Explains Everything For You in the Most Elitist, Pandering, Smug Way Possible While Pretending to Be One of the Proles is all about the “Ebola crisis.” If you’re talking about west Africa, well, yeah, it is a crisis. If you’re talking about the United States, it ain’t a crisis. It’s a minor annoyance combined with hysterical screaming, like a particularly hairy spider that wanders into the tween girl slumber party. Mom can come into the room, tell everyone to calm the fuck down, and get rid of the goddamn spider. Now who wants hot chocolate? (“Get out of my room, Mom. We’re watching Shailene Woodley in something or other.”) – See more at: http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/?tw_p=twt#sthash.7kKoAqwk.dpuf
Truly professional pollsters – as opposed to in-house polls from one of the sides that are involved or those who are known to be biased – really do know what they’re doing. Putting together an accurate poll is a science now days. Or at least it CAN be, if done without deliberate skewing.
The “ideological bubble” is working for the 1%, so mission accomplished!
I’m just afraid that as Stephen Colbert replaces David Letterman next year, we will lose one of the more trusted sources of political news. His faux right wing philosphy will probably be stymied by the CBS Network executives.
plain and simple Rush is the new Art Bell the radio guy with no sponsors telling the world about flying saucers.
Jon gave Bill-O-The Clown the opportunity to be an A$$wipe again and Billo did not disappoint. Of course you know Billo will beat his chest and claim victory over Jon and Liberals every where and make him self the fool again as he does every time he opens his sewer.
The study asked who people trusted most to deliver the news about politics and government. ABC, NBC, and CNN all topped 50% in trust. They were followed by CBS (46%) and Fox News (44%). The least trusted sources were Rush Limbaugh (39%), Fox News (37%), Glenn Beck (24%), and Sean Hannity (21%). The sources least trusted by the overall population were the ones that conservatives trusted the most. Conservatives most trusted Fox News (88%), Sean Hannity (62%), Rush Limbaugh (58%), and Glenn Beck (51%).
There is something untrustworthy about this study, there three different percentages for fox news, and only of the numbers are explained. Why is that?
There are different variables for each percentage.
Most trusted
Least trusted
Conservatives trusted.