Confidence in newspapers has hit an all time low in the latest Gallup survey, and TV news is also at a new low, the latest proof that Americans are losing faith in the media.

Gallup found that just 20 percent have confidence in newspapers, a 10-point drop in 10 years. TV news saw an identical 10-point drop, from 31 percent to 21 percent.



But it could be worse. Of all the institutions Gallup surveyed on, Congress is at the bottom, with just 9 percent having confidence in America's elected leaders, a finding that is clearly impacting the direction and tone of the 2016 elections.

And Americans aren't putting their faith in religion. Gallup found that confidence in organized religion dropped below 50 percent, to an all time low of 41 percent.

Overall, said Gallup's analysis, "Confidence in banks — which took a hit amid the bursting housing bubble in 2007 and 2008, and dropped further after the ensuing financial crisis — fell the most, plunging from 49% in 2006 to 27% now. Confidence in organized religion, which has felt the effects of the scandals enveloping the Catholic Church, dropped from 52% to 41%, one point below last year's previous low of 42%. Television news, newspapers and Congress all dropped 10 points — pushing newspapers to a 20% confidence level, two points below their previous low of 22% in 2007 and 2014."

Still, Americans do look up to one institution, the military. Some 73 percent have confidence in the military, unchanged in 10 years.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com