Trust in Media and journalism credibility in the sea of misinformation

Abstract

Public trust is a crucial factor in numerous social activities, including journalism. For journalists and news organizations, credibility serves as a prerequisite that allows for competitive distinction, public recognition, and social authority within the information market. Despite this, in recent years, there has been growing concern regarding the declining confidence in the news media. This trend also extends to other sectors of contemporary life, such as governments and companies, resulting in a crisis of institutional trust. This pervasive distrust adds to an intense atmosphere of disinformation, further undermining the consensual notions of truth and reliability, which are essential to information systems. In this article, we address the challenges associated with measuring trust in media and journalism, shed light on additional difficulties stemming from the post-truth era, and present insights into an ongoing proposal for measuring credibility in the Global South.