Shocking stat: 84% of American teens describe news media negatively, convinced journalists routinely invent quotes and pull favors for sources. Peter Adams from the News Literacy Project nails it: “half of them think that journalists make up quotes always, almost always, or often .”
This isn’t just teen angst—it’s a crisis of cynicism where kids can’t spot real journalism amid influencer noise. Media frames itself as ethical watchdogs, but headlines scream bias from all sides. Teens equate reporters with Spider-Man? Time for newsrooms to demystify the game and rebuild trust before misinformation wins.