Trust in Journalism

Trust is considered an important concept for explaining why individuals are willing to consume and believe the news that media institutions distribute. A lack of trust in journalism has been linked to significant consequences for democracies, such as a less informed citizenry and a lower willingness of individuals to accept democratic decisions. Scholarly investigations of trust and related constructs have a long history, but they intensified with the advancement of the Internet and the global rise of populism, which also sparked fierce debates about so-called “fake news” and the “lying press.”

This entry provides a definition of trust in journalism and outlines the state of trust in different countries. It illustrates ways of measuring trust, offers an assessment of causes and consequences of trust, and concludes ...