Polarization continues to deepen America’s divide, and most people in the United States say the media is to blame.
Earlier this summer, 84% said the mainstream media is responsible “for the political division in this country,” though they still believe it has the ability to “serve as a healing force,” according to Gallup. Nearly 86% of respondents said that part of the media’s problem is political bias. Most news organizations are “trying to persuade people to adopt a certain viewpoint,” these respondents explained.
As a result, many people do not trust the media — or if they do, it’s because the perceived bias confirms their priors. But there might be a solution. WGN America, a television channel owned by Nexstar Media Group, announced this week that it will debut a new program called News Nation, which promises to deliver straight news without opinion or bias.
News Nation is targeted toward disenchanted viewers who are tired of the partisanship they see on prime-time cable news shows, according to WGN America. The show will work with 5,400 reporters across more than 100 affiliate newsrooms in the country to deliver unbiased, fair news that focuses only on the facts, said Sean Compton, the executive vice president of WGN America.
“Our on-air anchors and reporters, as well as those guiding the off-camera news-gathering process, are award-winning journalists who understand the importance of being objective,” Compton said in a statement. “They reflect the diversity of our country and will be the backbone of News Nation as WGN America begins charting a new course in television news, designed for the millions of viewers across the U.S. who want their news to be accurate, fair, and without opinion.”
The idea of a fact-based, reported newscast is not a new idea, but it is noticeably absent from today’s media. The question, however, is whether News Nation will be able to develop the audience WGN America expects. People in the U.S. might dislike the political bias they find in big news networks such as CNN and Fox News, but they continue to tune in anyway.
There is certainly a need for objectivity in the media, but viewers would need to start demanding it. And until they do, a show devoid of political opinion is just wishful thinking.
