The real problem is that Americans do not trust the media because they sense a hidden, unacknowledged agenda. They believe the liberal political and cultural leanings of much of the press color their presentation of the news and what news they choose to present. It is not a conspiracy. There is nothing wrong with having a political agenda, just do not pretend that you do not have one. No one is upset that the National Review presents issues from a conservative perspective or that the New Republic or Mother Jones Magazine are on the left.
People know what to expect.
Even those who disagree with the perspectives presented there read those magazines. They believe when one weighs the arguments of advocates it is possible to come to a better understanding of the issues. It is often easier to glean the truth from a source you know the perspective of than a source that asserts objectivity. Nonetheless, indulge me for a moment. Trying to extract information from watching the news or reading the papers is similar to the problem of inverting a linear filter.