Cynics and Skeptics: Evaluating the Credibility of Mainstream and Citizen Journalism. (September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carr, D. Jasun; Barnidge, Matthew; Lee, Byung Gu; Tsang, Stephanie Jean
• Is Part Of: Journalism & mass communication quarterly. Volume 91:Number 3(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 452
• Page End: 470
• Publication Date: 2014-09
• Subjects: media credibility -- media skepticism -- political cynicism -- citizen journalism; Journalism -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Periodicals; Communication -- Periodicals; Journalism -- United States -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Bibliography -- Periodicals; 070
• DOI: 10.1177/1077699014538828
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-6990

Abstract

With the increase in citizen-generated news, the need to understand how individual predispositions interact with news sources to influence perceptions of news credibility becomes increasingly important. Using a web-based experiment, this study examines the influences individual predispositions toward the media and politics have on perceived credibility of mainstream and citizen journalism. Analyzing data drawn from a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, results indicate that media skepticism and political cynicism interact, such that cynics and skeptics perceive citizen journalism as more credible, while non-cynics and non-skeptics think mainstream journalism is more credible.