::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

  Trust in American news media continues to erode, and the latest numbers show just how deep the shift has become. Today, only 56% of U.S. adults say they have a lot or some trust in national news organizations—an 11‑point drop since March 2025 and a full 20‑point decline since 2016. Local news still fares better, with 70% expressing at least some trust, but even that number has slipped from 80% last spring and 82% a decade ago. These declines aren’t happening in a vacuum. They reflect a media landscape transformed by the 21st century—and no group illustrates that transformation more clearly than young adults. Americans under 30 are redefining how information moves, how credibility is judged, and what “news” even looks like. Their habits offer a preview of the next era of journalism: decentralized, personality‑driven, mobile‑first, and deeply shaped by social platforms. (See the Young Adults and the Future of News essay and the Pew‑Knight Initiative for deeper context.) The po...

Michael Hart, a FEMA spokesperson, said spreading misinformation and disinformation about the federal response to hurricanes is a hindrance to people making decisions.  By Mona Austin, The Slice News  TAKE HURRICANE MILTON SERIOUSLY AND HEED THE WARNINGS If you thought Hurricane Helene, the recent super-storm that ripped through multiple states and was recorded as the worst on record in the U.S. was as bad as it gets, you may unfortunately be wrong.  Milton,  is headed toward the Florida coast and predicted to be far more destructive.   A veteran Florida Meteorologist went viral when he began to sob in a live broadcast as he reported on the quickly intensifying storm, a clear indication of how powerful it is. He was taken aback because he had never seen anything like it. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place in over 50 counties, a large portion of the Florida peninsula. Milton is expected to touch down late Wednesday or early Thursday morning.  Loca...