When you are in the middle, both sides perceive you as on the other

There is a difference between a healthy skepticism and an unhealthy skepticism. We may have crossed that threshold.

The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press is reporting its latest biennial findings on Americans’ views of the news media. It shows a steady decline in people’s perception of news outlets since 1985.

It also shows that much of the perception is fueled by a person’s own politics.

Republicans view Fox News favorably by 29 points over Democrats, while CNN is viewed favorably by Democrats by 31 points over Republicans.

An interesting finding is the public’s view of the watchdog role of journalism. The percent of those who say press criticism does more good than harm varies directly by political party and the party of the person in the White House. Democrats agreed with this more than Republicans when Reagan and Bush Sr. were presidents, Republicans agreed more under Clinton, and Democrats more under W. Bush and Republicans more under Obama.

Is it a matter of the media doing a poorer job or are people looking at the media through their own partisan prisms? There are more outlets for news. More competition. More chances for one outlet to find fault in another.

I know we get calls every day — sometimes back to back — from people who accuse us of being too liberal and too conservative. It is less which way we tilt, than the perspective of the observer. Both sides view the middle of the road as being on the other side.

While the Internet is a growing source for national and international news, it still trails badly in local news behind newspapers and television, though I still suspect people answer television to this question only because it is on and occasionally news happens. Depth is another matter.

It matters less the partisanship of the outlet, but more partisanship of the observer.