News organizations? Surely you jest – Almost half of voters think journalists ‘make up’ anonymous sources | Washington Examiner

Almost half of U.S. voters believe journalists fabricate their anonymous sources, according to a new poll. A Morning Consult/Politico survey conducted Mar. 2-6 and published Wednesday asked registered voters if they think it’s likely that journalists make up anonymous sources for their stories. Most, 56 percent, either said it wasn’t likely, or that they didn’t know or had no opinion. But nearly half, 44 percent, said they believed it to be likely. Republicans, who tend to harbor more distrust of the news media, were more likely to say they believed journalists made up their anonymous sources. Sixty-five percent of GOP voters said they think that’s the case, nearly two-thirds. Among Democrats, just 24 percent said journalists likely made up their unnamed sources and 42 percent of independent voters agreed. President Trump has maintained a combative relationship with the press. He has called specific stories and news outlets fake news, and has claimed that sources in critical news stories are made up.