The Traditional Media Index, which includes such major legacy media as the Washington Post, New York Times, NPR and CBS, among others, fell to 40.2 in January from 43.3 in the final month of 2021, a 7% decline. January’s reading was the second-lowest since the index was created last March.

Meanwhile, the Alternative Media Index, which captures trust for such media outlets as the New York Post, Washington Times, NewsMax, Daily Caller, Real Clear Politics, among other names, fared even worse. It dropped from 39.3 in December to 34.6, a 12% drop and the lowest reading ever for this index.

And an average of the two indexes is now nearly back at the low of 37.3 reached in November.

As the U.S. enters an election year, the media appear to have lost control of the political narrative, with near-record levels of mistrust.