LETTERS: Trust in the media worldwide has hit an all-time low. In a study conducted in late 2022, for example, less than 40 per cent of adults in the United Kingdom trusted the local media.
It was also reported that trust in media fell between 2021 and 2022 in most countries in the study, especially in South Korea, Ireland, Australia, Argentina and Malaysia.
Judging by recent developments in our country, where members of parliament and ministers pick on the media for unfavourable reporting on them or their misstatements, the level of trust in media will continue to go south.
This alarming trend was also highlighted by veteran journalist Tan Sri Johan Jaafar, who urged ministers and politicians to stop blaming the media for stoking sensitive issues, particularly related to race and religion, when the press was merely reporting statements by an East Malaysian politician.
The veteran journalist also slammed a minister for criticising the headline of an article posted by a newspaper on its social media, saying that it was "slander" when it is just an analysis backed by experts on a situation that might happen in the future.
These attacks on the media could lead to more distrust among the public. They will have negative perceptions of the media, no longer believing what is being disseminated, especially by the mainstream outlets, and start doubting all media reports.
Of course, it is not wrong to question what one reads or watches but it must be done within reason, and not because of conspiracy theories, prejudices, hearsay or unfounded fears.
Worst, the public might be tempted to embrace alternative media sources from the far right or left of an ideological spectrum and consider mainstream media as fake news.
When the general public rely on sources that only confirm their bias instead of selecting those that will inform them of multiple angles of an issue, they might be radicalised and become more extreme in their views.
This extremism is believed to have led to the insurrection at the United States Capitol on Jan 6, 2020.
The rioters were motivated by the steady diet of far-right propaganda from media outlets like Breitbart News, NewsMax and One America News, which kept insisting that the US presidential election in 2020 was stolen and that Donald Trump had won.
It is not far-fetched to wonder if such an incident can take place in Malaysia.
It might if seeds of doubt against the media continue to be sown, by blaming them for politicians' mistakes.
All parties must address this issue so that the public trust in media is not eroded further.
MOHAMAD SYAFIQ YA SHAK
Universiti Teknologi MARA, Perak
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times