(Ashleigh Davies & Meg Bennett)

(Mixed Media Creative Critical Essay – Part Two: Letters to the Editor)

 

Online Journalism More Credible Than Traditional Media?

Academic scholars Thomas J. Johnson and Barbara Kaye have found that audiences judge the Internet as a more credible provider of news information than more traditional media, such as newspapers (Johnson & Kaye, 1998).

With the internet rapidly becoming the most utilized source of news among the general public, maintaining a high level of credibility is vital.

“Credibility is crucial for the Internet because past studies suggest people are less likely to pay attention to media they do not perceive as credible,” Johnson and Kaye said.

“This study found online media tended to be judged more credible than their traditional versions.”

 

Table 2: Credibility of Traditionally Delivered Information Sources versus Online Counterparts.

 

In light of “widespread concern that the public‘s confidence in the media had dropped”, Johnson and Kaye surveyed “politically-interested Web users” to find out whether audiences view internet publications as more or less credible than their traditional counterparts.

Finding that “online newspapers… are judged as significantly more credible than their traditional counterparts”, Johnson and Kaye addressed the variant of user demographic as it relates to user trust.

The academics found that young people tend to be the highest users of the internet and also regard online journalism as trustworthy.

“But while Internet use is highest among those who are male and have a high income and education, such users are less likely to view the Internet as credible,” Johnson and Kaye said.

Thus, the academics suggest that regular engagement with the internet does not necessarily guarantee a link with trust in online journalism.

But “web novices”, or people lacking in online experience, are even less likely to trust online news.

Johnson and Kaye note that “how credible one views a medium is strongly related to how often one uses it”.

The internet, as a medium, is no exception, however amount of use itself is inadequate as an indication of perceived credibility.

“This study… discovered that reliance on the Web is more strongly associated with credibility than amount of use,” said Johnson and Kaye.

“Studies indicate that the more credible the public finds a particular medium the more they rely on it as their primary news source.”

“Therefore, the most relied-upon sources are deemed the most credible.”

Despite receiving higher credibility ratings than tradition journalism, however, it is important to note that “respondents [of the survey] did not judge any of the online or traditionally-delivered sources as very credible.”

“The majority of respondents judge[d] online media and political issue-oriented publications as somewhat credible,” said Johnson and Kaye.

“This study, then, offers some support to polls that suggest the media are suffering from a crisis in credibility.”

Why is this?

“Anyone with access to a server can post information on the Web without restriction, calling the Web’s credibility into question,” note Johnson and Kaye.

From creative media to factual reports, the internet allows members of the general public to quickly and easily publish content online.

This capability extends to the realm of journalism.

Commonly known as ‘the citizen journalist’, civilians are now able to report on and publish coverage of news worthy events online, just as journalists do.

Dean Wright, Reuters Global Editor for Ethics, Innovation and News Standards, also acknowledges the rise of the “citizen journalist”.

“Over the last decade, the barriers to being a publicist have virtually disappeared,” he said.

“The world of journalism has changed more in the past ten years than it has in the past century.”

This blurring of the once distinct line between journalism and amateur reportage is resulting in some audiences consuming news from unqualified producers.

In the current online environment, amateurs and professionals alike are able publish content more immediately than ever before.

Audiences now expect their news as it happens, prompting speculation that journalists are sacrificing accuracy for immediacy.

Johnson and Kaye define credibility as “believable, fair, accurate, and in depth” information.

According to that definition, accuracy stands above immediacy in the pursuit of credible news journalism.

However while academics may not regard immediacy as a relevant factor in the credibility of information, it seems that audiences do.

In any case, the findings of Johnson and Kaye’s research seem to suggest that news audiences are comfortable with the continually changing parameters of journalism as a source of news and current affairs.

However the online environment is continually evolving, a feat which begs the question; what lies ahead for the future of journalism as a profession and as a credible source of news?

If “anyone can do what journalists traditionally have done”, will the profession eventually become obsolete? Or will the demand for credible and immediate news remain high enough to see journalistic professionals hold on to the role of news dissemination?

 

 

 

 

References:

Dean Wright on Online Journalism Ethics 2009, Youtube video, Reuters, USA, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns8sv6kMIOk>.

Johnson, TJ & Kaye, BK 1998, ‘Cruising is Believing?: Comparing Internet and Traditional Sources on Media Credibility Measures’, J&MC Quarterly, vol. 75, no. 2, pp. 325-340, viewed 22 September 2014, AEJMC, <http://www.aejmc.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Journalism-Mass-Communication-Quarterly-1998-JohnsonKay-325-340.pdf>.