During major events- who do you trust more, cops or the news media?

We are about to enter a contentious presidential election. We just experienced massive collegiate demonstrations regarding the Middle East. The economy is uncertain. 

How does the law enforcement profession fare during times of stress and uncertainty?  How does policing compare with other institutions? Who does the public trust more, cops or the media?

I have a reader question, who does the public trust during major events or emergencies? We have a contentious election coming coupled with the war in Gaza and anti-semitism plus economic uncertainty.

There are dozens of research-based articles giving law enforcement and police officers fairly high marks regardless of the demographics of those polled with differences based on political affiliation, age, race, income, and additional factors.

A fundamental truth of public relations is that citizens trust law enforcement more than many professions, including the media. This means that during emergencies or contentious times, the ability of the police to effectively and accurately communicate becomes an important consideration. With media getting low marks, the tools police agencies have via social media, self-created media and their relationship with mainstream news organizations need to be evaluated. 

We need to understand that false media exists. I can sit before a green screen, import commercially available video and audio clips, create a realistic digital television set, and say anything I want. There is now software using artificial intelligence to create professional videos or audio almost instantly. Bad actors can create panic. It’s up to us and our relationship with the media to respond quickly.

Research From Pew During COVID

Americans’ Views of the News Media During the COVID-19 Outbreak provides an ethical comparison between the news media and a variety of institutions, including police officers (see page three-link below). It was published during the pandemic.

It supports an almost continuous narrative of mostly positive ratings as to individual police officers and the law enforcement profession during times of immense emotional stress.

With the upcoming presidential election and the Middle East back in the news with massive collegiate protests, and an uncertain economy, it’s time to revisit contentious events and how they could play out for the law enforcement community.

Pew-Americans’ Views of the News Media During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Even as Americans are more likely to give the news media positive than negative marks on key aspects of COVID-19 reporting, views of journalists broadly remain more negative – specifically in Americans’ confidence in journalists and their views of their ethical standards. Furthermore, major partisan divides are just as stark as before the outbreak began, and Republicans and Democrats disagree more strongly in their assessments of the media than they do about several other institutions.

Overall, Americans are about evenly split in their level of confidence in journalists. About half (48%) have at least a “fair amount” of confidence that journalists will act in the public’s best interests, including 9% who say they have a “great deal” of confidence. But the other half (52%) have “not too much” or “no confidence at all” in journalists to serve the public interest.

The public’s level of confidence in journalists is slightly lower than the last time this question was asked in late 2018, when 55% had at least a fair amount of confidence that journalists will act in the best interests of the public, including 15% who had the highest level of confidence. Since many issues and events have transpired since late 2018, the reason for the change is unclear.

Ethics

Views of journalists’ ethics, meanwhile, are somewhat more negative than positive. Roughly four-in-ten Americans (43%) say journalists have “very high” or “high” ethical standards, while a majority (56%) say they have “low” or “very low” standards. Americans’ opinions about the ethical standards of journalists are largely stable compared to 2019, the last time this question was asked.

Americans’ views of journalists’ ethical standards follow a very similar pattern. Journalists rank toward the bottom compared with five other groups of individuals asked about. And again, the one group that journalists outrank is elected leaders (just 27% of Americans think elected leaders have high or very high ethical standards).

Ethical Standards For Other Professions

The public is more likely to think medical doctors (92%), police officers-emphasis added (73%) and religious leaders (67%) have very high or high ethical standards, while journalists (43%) are about on par with lawyers (44%).

Ethics Chart For Professions During COVID 



 

Conclusions

After 35 years of directing media relations for national and state criminal justice agencies, I read articles about the news media daily and it’s brutal. Major American news outlets are being hammered by big losses in revenue, reputation, and reporters dedicated to covering crime and the justice system. The Washington Post’s readership is down 50 percent with millions in lost revenue. 

Some of you may want to celebrate the diminishing power of the news media but my experience has been mostly positive. Veteran crime reporters have dropped many potentially explosive events where coverage was not warranted. Many reporters understand that most Americans support law enforcement. Reporters can share a common bond with cops because they often experience the same events at the same time.

With multiple upcoming concerns and with the presidential election looming, it’s a good idea to process the possibilities and the impact on law enforcement. It seems that when major events happen, the public “mostly” understands the challenges police officers face and is “generally” supportive, especially when compared to the media and other institutions. 

It also comes down to a matter of trust in public communications during difficult times. Law enforcement is seen as a trusted source of information. How we handle public communications during major events plays a role in their successful conclusions.

Yes, those who write about media issues are massively put off by the thought of giving control of the narrative to law enforcement. They want more accountability from the police, not competition, and they are demanding that reporters independently verify what police spokespeople are saying. I don’t have a problem with that.

But with the lack of knowledgeable crime reporters who have expert knowledge of the justice system or emergencies, and a media depending on general assignment journalists, we within the justice system have a unique responsibility to make sure we are being accurate, accessible, responsible, and have the tools to communicate. A good and trusting relationship with the media helps.

Quickly understanding and debunking fake media becomes crucial.

I was once told by an Associated Press reporter that if I said that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge collapsed, (I was the director of public information for the Maryland Department of Public Safety), they would run with it without verification because they trusted me and the information I provided.

During difficult times, public and media trust becomes a vital component of emergency media relations.