NEW YORK CITY, New York: A new national survey suggests America's teenagers are growing up with the same mistrust of the news media long seen among adults, raising concerns about whether the next generation will ever develop the habit of following credible journalism.

For Cat Murphy, a 21-year-old journalism student at the University of Maryland, the findings feel familiar. She has wanted to be a reporter since childhood, even as friends question why she would pursue a field they see as biased, unreliable, or fading. "There is a lot of commentary — ‘Oh, good for you… You're going to be screaming into the void," she said.

The News Literacy Project's fall survey found overwhelmingly negative perceptions of the media among 13- to 18-year-olds. Asked for a single word to describe today's news media, 84 percent offered negative terms such as "biased," "boring," "fake," "bad" or "confusing."

More than half of teens said they believe journalists regularly engage in unethical behavior, including making up details, paying sources, or taking images out of context. Fewer than one-third thought reporters consistently verify facts, correct errors, or rely on multiple sources.

Experts say teens often inherit adults' skepticism, especially in an era when "fake news" has become a political slogan. Many young people do not follow the news closely, and schools rarely teach how journalism works. High-profile mistakes and opinion-driven commentary add to doubts. "Some of this (attitude) is earned, but much of it is based on misperception," said Peter Adams of the News Literacy Project.

There are exceptions. At Northwestern University, journalism student Lily Ogburn said many classmates rely on social media because their parents did not model regular news consumption. Even after the Daily Northwestern's reporting on hazing and racism led to a football coach's ouster, she said some students misunderstood the paper's role. "There's a lot of mistrust toward journalists," she said.

The broader industry struggles also shape perceptions. Two decades of shrinking newsrooms mean fewer chances for teens to encounter robust reporting. Popular culture rarely features serious journalism, unlike past portrayals such as "All the President's Men." When asked to name movies or shows about journalism, two-thirds of teens couldn't think of any; the most common responses were "Spider-Man" and "Anchorman."

That gap in understanding is what drives Howard Schneider, founding dean of Stony Brook University's journalism school, who now focuses on teaching news literacy to non-journalists. "The negativity… is just a reflection of how their parents feel," he said. But he believes exposure helps. "The more exposed to legitimate news, the more their attitudes turn positive."

In Utah, high school student Brianne Boyack said her news literacy class taught her to double-check sources and rely on outlets she now trusts. Classmate Rhett MacFarlane recalled fact-checking a rumor about a Louvre robbery. "I've learned that there is definitely fact-checking," he said.

Still, such programs are uncommon. And Murphy fears the media is too slow to adapt to where young audiences actually spend time. "There's tiny movement in the direction of going to where people are," she said. "The only way to turn it around is going to be to switch to doing things that captivate people today."