Bipartisan Confidence in Media Watchdog

A Pew survey in August 2026 found that 80% of U.S. adults say criticism from news organizations keeps political leaders from doing things they shouldn’t, with majorities in both parties (73% Republican-leaning, 89% Democrat-leaning) endorsing the media’s watchdog role. The result includes a decade-long trend table showing how those shares have shifted with partisan control of the presidency. — If most voters across parties still view the media as an effective check on power, arguments for drastic institutional curbs on reporting or blanket delegitimization of outlets face weaker public support; conversely, the data matters for how politicians and reformers frame press regulation and accountability.