TY - JOUR
T1 - The trouble with 'trust' in news media
AU - FISHER, Caroline
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Questions surrounding trust in news media have preoccupied scholars for almost a century. Based on a review of interdisciplinary literature, this paper provides an overview of the evolution of conceptions of news trust over the past 80 years. In doing so, this paper highlights key problems with the question of trust in this context. First, despite the volume of research on this topic, there is no agreed definition or measure of ‘trust’ in news media. Second, there is a growing disconnect between the normative ideal of an informed citizenry and the complex range of influences on perceptions of news credibility in the digital era. Third, in an age of uncertainty about the veracity of online information, is ‘trust’ in news even desirable? In response to these issues, this paper asks whether research based on undefined general questions about public ‘trust’ in news media continues to be relevant.
AB - Questions surrounding trust in news media have preoccupied scholars for almost a century. Based on a review of interdisciplinary literature, this paper provides an overview of the evolution of conceptions of news trust over the past 80 years. In doing so, this paper highlights key problems with the question of trust in this context. First, despite the volume of research on this topic, there is no agreed definition or measure of ‘trust’ in news media. Second, there is a growing disconnect between the normative ideal of an informed citizenry and the complex range of influences on perceptions of news credibility in the digital era. Third, in an age of uncertainty about the veracity of online information, is ‘trust’ in news even desirable? In response to these issues, this paper asks whether research based on undefined general questions about public ‘trust’ in news media continues to be relevant.
KW - trust
KW - news media
KW - journalism
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/trouble-trust-news-media
U2 - 10.1080/22041451.2016.1261251
DO - 10.1080/22041451.2016.1261251
M3 - Article
SN - 2204-1451
VL - 2
SP - 451
EP - 465
JO - Communication Research and Practice
JF - Communication Research and Practice
IS - 4
ER -