Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Fall 12-3-2025

Faculty Advisor(s)

Dr. Ann Gordon

Abstract

In the past few months, talk show hosts have been canceled for speaking out against the president, deepfakes and AI have become more accessible, there has been an increase in propaganda and state-sponsored media, and through all this, we have seen a continuous increase in government control. All of these factors offer potential explanations as to why there has been an increased distrust and loss of respect regarding journalism throughout the United States in recent years. This research aims to demonstrate that when the government heavily monitors and controls the country, Americans are less likely to trust the media and journalists. This paper will examine the growing issue of media distrust, with a primary focus on how government control of the press contributes to a heightened lack of trust in journalistic credibility. The data for this research were obtained from the American National Election Survey. These trends will be shown by analyzing political affiliation, government trust, and media trust/consumption, alongside comparisons of governmental control of the media over time. The findings have shown that with greater government control over the country, people trust the media and journalists less, fearing repercussions from the government for expressing their own thoughts and opinions. This information is vital to study to grasp the urgency of this matter and understand the consequences of the American people not having a reliable way to obtain information.

Comments

Presented at the Fall 2025 Student Scholar Symposium at Chapman University.

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