NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 19: Bari Weiss attends Book Club Event With Peggy Noonan on November 19, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free Press)
Getty Images for The Free Press
The recent controversy surrounding reports of potential editorial shifts at CBS and concern over Bari Weiss’s influence inside legacy media has sparked predictable debates about bias, ideology and journalistic independence. Yet, beneath those arguments may sit a larger, and potentially more consequential, issue related to the American people’s trust in institutions. Increasingly, the data suggest the answer may be, not very much. In fact, according to a 2025 Gallup survey, only 28% of Americans say they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in mass media, a historic low. In the 1970s, trust hovered between 68% and 72%.
Trust has declined not only in journalism but across civic institutions. The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer found seven in ten people believe government officials, journalists, and business leaders intentionally mislead the public. The implications extend beyond politics and may shape who Americans trust to deliver and explain the news happening in the world around them.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has argued that digital ecosystems are “incredibly powerful for tearing things down,” warning that chronic anger and mistrust may weaken already fragile institutions. His work suggests distrust is not simply political disagreement, and it may fundamentally reshape civic life.
Psychologists have long noted that uncertainty increases reliance on familiar, emotionally resonant figures. When people feel uncertain or overwhelmed, they often seek cognitive shortcuts. Confidence and familiarity can become proxies for credibility.
That may help explain why personality-driven ecosystems such as podcasts, influencers, Substack writers, and independent journalists continue growing. People increasingly seek information through independent creators, podcasts, TikTok explainers, wellness influencers, and commentators. In this way, trust appears increasingly attached to individuals, not institutions.
Researcher Renée DiResta, whose work focuses on misinformation and online influence, has argued that credibility increasingly forms around identity, familiarity and community rather than traditional expertise. In fragmented media environments, who people trust may depend less on institutional affiliation and more on perceived authenticity.
Gallup data indicate adults under 50 years old show significantly lower trust in media than older generations. Among adults 65 and older, roughly 43% report trusting media compared with approximately 26–28% among younger groups. That generational divide may shape the future of journalism itself. If younger Americans are building information habits around personalities rather than institutions, legacy media may face a deeper challenge than partisan disagreement related to transparency and credibility.
Supporters view Weiss as challenging ideological conformity. Critics worry about shifts in editorial priorities or political influence. But the intensity of the reaction highlights something broader. Increasingly, Americans disagree not only on facts, but also on who deserves authority.
Perhaps the defining crisis is not media polarization but trust itself. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely’s research suggests uncertainty often increases reliance on cognitive shortcuts. Under stress or ambiguity, confidence and familiarity may begin to substitute for expertise. Once institutional trust erodes, rebuilding shared reality becomes considerably harder. The question becomes not only who is accurate, but more importantly, who feels believable.
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