Washington, Sep 22 (IANS/RIA Novosti): More Americans - around 60 percent - distrust the mass media than ever before, US polling agency Gallup reported.

According to a survey, 60 percent of Americans say they have "little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly".

The decline in trust is driven largely by Americans who identify themselves as Republican or independent voters.

The study found that only 26 percent of Republicans and 31 percent of independents trust the news media. Democrats are notably more trustful at 58 percent.

However, when comparing the results from the previous presidential election year in 2008, Gallup found the largest drop in trust -- 10 percent -- was among independent voters.

"Independents are sharply more negative compared with 2008, suggesting the group that is most closely divided between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney is quite dissatisfied with its ability to get fair and accurate news coverage of this election," according to Gallup official Lymari Morales.