• Regional and Energy Security
• Informational security

02.09.2013

TRUST OF THE AUDIENCE IN THE MASS MEDIA: TENDENCIES

   

Trust of the audience in the mass media is a topical issue for both mass media executives and media experts. Studies of the trust of the audience in different types of media, in both western and post-Soviet countries, follow the same tide: the stance of the audience, factors which influence the choice of media, tendencies of trust are revealed within the context of spreading of internet and growth of the Internet audience. As a result of the growth of the amount of information and diversity of the sources trust in the means of communication is becoming crucial.

In theoretical approaches the trust of the audience in media is often considered as indicator of symbolic power. Roger Silverstone proposes his own approach to the trust in media, taking as a ground Anthony Giddens’ works who states that our everyday life is based on trust.

According to Silverstone we trust in television, because it satisfies a need in “ontological security” by means of its continuous availability and repeating rotation of the content¹. Silverstone makes a reference to Giddens’ “expert systems”: these systems play a role of mediator between us and everything we have no clear or direct knowledge about but which influences our life. In this aspect Silverstone insists that TV news act as key institutions in mediation of the fear, risks and threats coming from the outside world².

It is remarkable that in this aspect TV is taken as a more reliable source of information because unlike radio and newspapers it has a possibility of visual mediation.

According to the author, on the whole, we are ready to trust media because it is a “link” towards social reality. Our trust in media is regenerated automatically without making reference to the factors, which revelation will undermine this credibility³. Even when media throws a shadow on some segments of social reality, our trust in it does not weaken because due to the media link a semblance of naturalness is maintained.

One may say that in general trust in mass media is based on the fact that people accept the dominating role of mass media as a source of information, they find it natural. In this aspect, there is a certain level of trust which is not broken. On the other hand when we speak about reduction of trust among the representatives of some stratum of the society it turns out that this stratum of society questions that very “naturalness” of media.

Changes in regard to mass media are also reflected in a number of researches. Survey carried out by “Gallup” in 2012 shows that the distrust of the Americans in media sharply increased, with 60% saying they have no trust in media to report news fully, accurately and fairly⁴.

According to media-survey carried out by “РИА Новости” research center, 57% of respondents trust in media (in 2010 71% trusted)⁵. At the same time trust in Internet as a source of information is growing.

According to the study carried out by the Caucasus Research Resource Center in Armenia in 2011, 54% of the respondents trust in TV (though 90% receive information about current events by means of TV⁶). 33% have trust in the publications on the Internet, and 39% trust in newspapers and radio (see: Picture 1).

If Gallup’s survey measured trust on the institutional level, i.e. in mass media in general, the Russian and Armenian surveys demonstrate trust in different types of mass media where common tendency can be observed – increasing distrust in TV and growth of trust in Internet media.

Picture 1⁷

According to the evaluations of the Armenian experts, TV and printed press, unlike online media, are gradually becoming less trustworthy for people.

The higher level of trust in online media is mainly conditioned by the fact that this field tends to be more diverse and available for a wider audience; it tries to satisfy more demands. Besides, due to a flexible policy providing diversity, its political goals are less tangible for the audience. Online media are expanding at the expense of the social networks, and here the “author” who shares the news is often more important than the information. In the opinion of one of the media experts, trust is based on personal factor: “If I see that an article is share by my friend and I trust him, I’ll read it. If it is shared by not that trustworthy person, maybe I will not click on it. The ways of acquiring information has changed”.

In case with the TV and printed press the audience mostly knows whose interests they defend and who directs them. Trust to the newspapers is based on their political orientation.

In general, in our society trust in media is not considered as a separate problem. Trust in separate media-types – TV, newspapers, etc., is measured, but trust in mass media as an institution is not perceived as a considerable problem. For example, in the foreign surveys trust in mass media is generalized category, which includes trust in separate mass media-types as a “transmitter” of news, as a significant institution, etc. On the other hand factors, which impact trust and distrust, are also revealed. In this aspect information that some percentage of the population distrusts TV or printed press provides scarce knowledge about the problem.

The executives of the mass media do not consider trust in the aspect of a process either. Mainly “one-time” efforts are taken in Armenia in this direction and they mostly take as a ground the trust of the audience in one definite journalist. We suppose that in this sphere studies directed to defining of the level of trust of the audience, finding out reasons conditioning that level are necessary

¹ Couldry N., “The Place of Media Power: Pilgrims and Witnesses of the Media Age”, London, 2000, p. 50.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid, p.51։

⁴ http://www.gallup.com/poll/157589/distrust-media-hits-new-high.aspx?utm_source=¬google&utm_¬medium=rss&utm_campaign=syndication

⁵ http://ria.ru/society/20130326/929117516.html

⁶ «Լրատվության այլընտրանքային ռեսուրսներ» հաշվետվություն, էջ 12, http://www.crrc.am/store/armedia/CRRC_ArMedia_2011_Presentation_Armenian.pdf

⁷ «Լրատվության այլընտրանքային ռեսուրսներ» հաշվետվությունն ամբողջությամբ տե՛ս http://www.crrc.am/store/armedia/CRRC_ArMedia_2011_Presentation_Armenian.pdf

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