Syracuse Sun

The Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship (IDJC) at Syracuse University, in collaboration with Ipsos, has launched a new poll aimed at measuring attitudes toward civic engagement, democracy, and news consumption. The survey findings are based on interviews with approximately 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by Ipsos through its probability-based KnowledgePanel.

Initial results released Thursday indicated that Republicans showed more interest in watching the first presidential debate between President Biden and former President Trump compared to Democrats or independents. According to a survey conducted from May 17-19, 75% of Republicans expressed likelihood to watch the debate, compared with 61% of Democrats and 58% of independents.

"This project will help IDJC researchers expand our understanding of media consumption and an increasingly polarized electorate in a rapidly changing news climate," said Margaret Talev, Kramer Director of the IDJC and professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

The IDJC is a joint initiative between the Newhouse School and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Based in Washington, D.C., the institute focuses on nonpartisan research, teaching, and public dialogue aimed at strengthening trust in news media, governance, and society.

"While many polls are focused on the horse race, this gives us the opportunity to understand how this election cycle is shaping Americans' perspectives about patriotism, partisanship, and the importance of democracy," said Johanna Dunaway, IDJC research director and professor of political science at Maxwell.

Joshua Darr, IDJC senior researcher and associate professor of communications at Newhouse added: "Our hope is that we can learn more about the relationships between identity, trust in media and attitudes toward democracy that shape the stakes of the election—not merely try to predict the election."

The IDJC also offers foundational courses in civics, media literacy, and ethics taught in Washington D.C., while facilitating internships and networking opportunities for Syracuse University students. The polling partnership with Ipsos aims to provide educational experiences about survey research and demographic trends.

"These are such important tools for aspiring journalists to have in their skillset," Talev noted. "It's critical for reporters and writers to understand how voters feel and perceive developments on the trail to cover the campaign with proper context and authority."

Talev also serves as a senior contributor at Axios where she wrote about these poll findings on Thursday.