As a rule of thumb, no one should believe everything they hear or read. Now a growing segment of society believes even less of the reports they receive though media because of divisiveness fueled by political polarization.

Some people are saying, Gayle King can dish it out, but she can’t take it. When the journalist, who has a reputation for being fair and balanced, asked Kobe Bryant’s friend, basketball legend Lisa Leslie, to discuss a rape allegation from 2003, days after his tragic death, the backlash came swift and harsh.

The Associated Press is joining with the Religion News Service and the nonprofit publisher The Conversation to form a global initiative to expand news reporting on religion in the United States and around the world. The collaboration is being funded by an 18-month, $4.9 million grant .