How Are Attitudes Toward News Coverage of Immigration Related to General Trust in News Media? A Longitudinal Test of Spillover Effects of Hostile Media and Credibility Perceptions

Authors

  • Florian Wintterlin Department of Communication, University of Muenster
  • Gwendolin Gurr Department of Communication Science and Media Research, University of Fribourg
  • Julia Metag Department of Communication, University of Muenster

Keywords:

credibility, hostile media perceptions, trust in news media, cross-lagged panel model, fixed effects regression

Abstract

Trust in news media can be understood as the expectation that the news media will fulfill their social function. The factors that predict trust in news media, such as media content or the characteristics of the recipients, are well researched. To date, however, little attention has been paid to two areas that our study addresses: the role of issues in building trust in news media and longitudinal analyses. Based on a representative three-wave online panel survey in Switzerland, a cross-lagged panel model shows that credibility judgments of issue-specific coverage are positively correlated with general trust in news media. However, no causal effects on trust are found over time.

Author Biographies

Florian Wintterlin, Department of Communication, University of Muenster

Dr. Florian Wintterlin is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster, Germany. His work focuses on journalism, disinformation, and trust. 

Gwendolin Gurr, Department of Communication Science and Media Research, University of Fribourg

Gwendolin Gurr (PhD, University of Fribourg) is senior research and teaching assistant at the Departement of Communication and Media Research (DCM), Université de Fribourg/Universität Freiburg, Switzerland. Her research interests include political communication, news media use use and effects, and attitudes toward news media.

Julia Metag, Department of Communication, University of Muenster

Prof. Dr. Julia Metag is professor at the Department of Communication at the University of Muenster, Germany. Her research interests include science communication, political communication, online communication and media effects.

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Published

2024-10-29

Issue

Vol. 18 (2024)

Section

Articles

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