That's Not News: Audience Perceptions of "News-ness" and Why It Matters. Issue 5 (2nd September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Edgerly, Stephanie; Vraga, Emily K.
• Is Part Of: Mass communication & society. Volume 23:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 730
• Page End: 754
• Publication Date: 2020-09-02
• Subjects: Mass media -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Mass media and culture -- Periodicals; Communication -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Communication and culture -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Médias -- Aspect social -- Périodiques; Médias et culture -- Périodiques; Communication -- Aspect social -- Périodiques; Communication et culture -- Périodiques; Presse -- Aspect social -- Périodiques; Communication and culture; Communication -- Social aspects; Journalism -- Social aspects; Mass media and culture; Mass media -- Social aspects; Periodicals; 302.23
• DOI: 10.1080/15205436.2020.1729383
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1520-5436

Abstract

ABSTRACT: When is a tweet considered news? This study uses an experimental design to isolate two features of a headline shared on Twitter to determine the impact on audience ratings of 'news-ness.' We examine how people rate a Twitter post about potential government shutdown depending on: the type of story headline (breaking, exclusive, fact check, opinion), and the source of the story/tweet ( Associated Press, MSNBC, Fox News ). Results show that headline story type and source separately impact news-ness, with partisanship conditioning the influence of source on news-ness. Moreover, we find that ratings of news-ness mediate these effects on intent to verify tweet content, such that higher ratings of news-ness results in lower intent to verify. We argue that more attention needs to be paid to the central role that perceptions of news-ness plays in driving a range of outcomes in today's social media environment.