Media Credibility Reconsidered: Synergy Effects between On-Air and Online News

Abstract

This experimental investigation of media credibility examined the combined, or synergistic, effects of on-air and online network news exposure, placing student and adult news consumers in broadcast news, online news, and telewebbing conditions. Results indicate that perceptions of network news credibility are affected by channel used. Perceptions of credibility were enhanced when the channel used was consistent with the news source being evaluated, suggesting a channel congruence effect. In addition, evidence is offered for the existence of a synergy effect between on-air and online news.

Journal of Applied Communications, 2017, vol. 101, no. 1 Full Issue

“…The notion of incongruence between a preferred media channel and the channel actually used is not unusual. Bucy (2003) and Westley and Severin (1964a) both referenced similar findings in their respective studies. Bucy (2003) found that adults and college students rated media channels with which they were less familiar as more credible.…”

“…Bucy (2003) and Westley and Severin (1964a) both referenced similar findings in their respective studies. Bucy (2003) found that adults and college students rated media channels with which they were less familiar as more credible. Additionally, Westley and Severin (1964a) reported that "residents did not necessarily assign greatest credibility to the medium they assigned greatest preference" (p. 326).…”

“…In Bucy's (2003) study on the synergy effects of television and Internet use on media credibility, adults and college students rated media channels they were less familiar with as more credible. For example, Bucy (2003) explained, that although college students tend to be more familiar with Internet news sources, they reported TV news as more credible. Flanagin and Metzger (2000) found online information was rated as credible as that included magazines, radio, and TV.…”

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

“…For message credibility typical variables are that the text is factual, well-written, and fair, and for source credibility variables typically being used are that the source is objective, biased/unbiased, and the source separates facts from opinions (Bucy, 2003;Chung, Kim, & Kim, 2010;Newhagen & Nass, 1989;Sundar, 1999). The study at hand follows in this tradition and emphasizes the effect of transparency on source and message credibility (for a complete list of all variables in the study see the results section).…”

Credibilidad percibida del periodismo a través de la Internet: una visión desde la psicología del consumidor

“…No obstante, se hallaron resultados similares a los encontrados por Busy (2003), donde los más jóvenes suelen juzgar como creíble en primer lugar al internet.…”