When it comes to equal treatment of all sides in the news, the public expects far more than journalists are delivering.
Less than half of journalists — 44% — say every side of an issue deserves “equal coverage,” according to a survey of the industry by the Pew Research Center.
Among the broader community, though, the vast majority — 76% — believe in equal coverage.
At a time when trust in the media is nearing all-time lows, the disconnect between what the public says it wants and what editors and reporters are delivering looms large, particularly in the minds of those in the business.