A study highlighted by Nieman Lab measured how often cable news outlets criticize the media itself. The researchers found that Fox News launched such attacks about every 15 minutes, while CNN did so only about once every 140 minutes. The gap suggests a stark difference in how the two networks frame journalism as an institution.
The findings arrive as public confidence in the news media sits near historic lows. Gallup data cited in the report show that in 2025, just 8% of Republicans said they trusted the media, compared with 51% of Democrats. That 43-point gap underscores how media trust has become deeply partisan.
More recent numbers show a slight uptick in Republican trust, but overall trust remains close to the record low. The study's authors argue that the frequency of attacks on Fox News may help explain why its viewers hold particularly negative views of the press, even as the broader trend reflects a fractured information environment.