That not a small chasm, that's the Grand Canyon

I frequently observe how broad is the disconnect between citizenry and politicians/mainstream media/academia.  It is so broad a chasm on so many issues that it is little wonder that there is so much discombobulation.  Forget partisan polarization and existential threats - people want the politicians/mainstream media/academia to focus on real and important issues, not the ephemera about which they usually obsess.  

I am, however, astonished at the magnitude which Rasmussen seems to be measuring.  

Top Midterms Issues Update: Our new Ukraine survey results today will move the topic up as a midterms issue into the legacy media number 3 spot - displacing ever sinking Capitol Riot Investigation.

Legacy media - disconnected from US voters much? 🤡

I pic.twitter.com/0U2z7DHraD

— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) June 23, 2022

These results are so large that I find it hard to credit them.  I believed the gap to be large but . . .

I go to Rasmussen's home page and find a link to the tweet but no link to the actual survey results.  I would like to see that before reposing to much confidence in these results.

Capturing the results in case the tweet is pulled:

Top Voter Midterm Issues

All US Likely Voters

Rasmussen Reports

June 21, 2022

1.  Rising Gas Prices - 92% Concerned, 68% Very Concerned

2.  Inflation - 91% Concerned, 69% Very Concerned

3.  The Economy - 89% Concerned, 69% Very Concerned

4.  Violent Crime - 88% Concerned, 64% Very Concerned

5.  Election Integrity - 83% Concerned, 61% Very Concerned

6.  School Issues - 76% Concerned, 58% Very Concerned

7.  Election Cheating - 75% Concerned, 53% Very Concerned

8.  Illegal Immigration - 66% Concerned, 45% Very Concerned

US Legacy Media Top Midterm Issues

All US Likely Voters

Rasmussen Reports

June 21, 2022

1.  Climate Change - 64% Concerned, 39% Very Concerned

2.  Abortion Rights - 63% Concerned, 42% Very Concerned

3.  Capitol Riot Investigation - 57% Important, 41% Very Important

4.  Covid-19 - 57% Concerned, 22% Very Concerned

5.  LGBTQ Issues - 42% Concerned, 23% Very Concerned

6.  Ukraine - Which do you consider more important to American national interests?

Defending the Ukraine against Russian Invasion - 36%

Defending the US Southern border against illegal immigration - 53%

Since I cannot find the original survey or data results, I cannot be certain but this appears as if Rasmussen asked likely voters what they were most concerned about and then asked them what they thought the mainstream media viewed as the most important concerns.  

It would be really interesting if this was a comparison of the voting population versus journalists but that is not what we have here I think.  It's what citizens think is important and what citizens think journalists think is important.

They see journalists having no interests in almost anything citizens are concerned about.  The only overlap between the two lists is itself provocative.  Citizens are concerned about Election Integrity (an issue which every civic minded person would be interested in) whereas journalists are concerned about the Capitol Riot Investigation which only Democrats are concerned about.

This reminds me of the childish game I occasionally play with NPR.  I only listen to NPR when I am driving and I don't drive that often, perhaps 4-8 times a week.  The game is to turn on NPR and then turn it off if the particular segment is about any one of three things 1) Minority suffering, 2) Women suffering, 3) Class signaling ("10 Easy Comfort Foods You Can Fix Quickly to Relieve Stress", "Where To Stay When Visiting Florence", etc.)

I once went ten days without listening to NPR with just these three filters.  

Looking at the Rasmussen results, no wonder.  Apparently everyone else also feels like the mainstream media is talking about nothing of interest or concern to the ordinary listener.

UPDATE:  Pew also has some mainstream media surveying results out.  From Journalists Sense Turmoil in Their Industry Amid Continued Passion for Their Work.

They do ask the question I alluded to above.  An assessment of how well the MSM journalists assess their performance versus how citizens assess it.

Journalists think they do a good job covering the most important stories 63% more than do citizens.

Journalists think they report the news accurately 86% more than do citizens.

Journalists think they serve as a watchdog over elected readers 33% more than do citizens.

Different organization, different survey, different questions.  Same result; the public doesn't trust or respect the mainstream media.