Professional dynamics between journalists and politicians: Professional routines and assessment of trust and credibility generated by Spanish congressional spokespersons in the specialized press (2019-2022)

Abstract

This article deals with the interactions between and opinions of parliamentary journalists covering the Spanish Congress of Deputies regarding their main source of information –the spokespersons of the parliamentary groups. This quantitative and qualitative study is based on both data obtained through a survey as well as semistructured personal interviews. The results have made it possible, among other aspects, to identify the patterns of behavior and frequency of relationships between media professionals and spokespersons; to recognize which of their skills are most appreciated by reporters; to evaluate the levels of empathy, trust, and credibility generated by the different political representatives in journalists; and finally, to establish a statistical correlation between the empathy–trust and trust–credibility variables to determine the level of effectiveness of the messages issued by parliamentary representatives. The study found that journalists find satisfaction with their work and with the level of recognition of the media they represent; they consider that the information they generate has importance for society, although with a limited social influence; that empathy, clarity, and credibility are the three most valued attributes of the parliamentary spokesperson; and that the perception of parliamentary spokespersons is acceptable. Finally, despite the criticism that the media sometimes receive for their ideological and biased interpretation of the news, no appreciable bias was found in the responses referring to the ideology of the spokesperson and the editorial line of the media to which the journalists surveyed belong, an issue related to their professionalism, independence, and objectivity, which are key to the economic and financial development of a country.