Journalism Quarterly Devoted to Research in Journalism and Mass Communicatiorz
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AUTUMN 1986 Journalism Quarterly Devoted to Research in Journalism and Mass Communicatiorz ~~ By Cede Gaziano and Kristin McGrath Measuring the Concept of Credibility Factor analysis produces of a national survey which treated credibil- 12-item credibility factor. ity as a multidimensional concept. Scores for newspaper Credibility research has two primary and television on this ancestors, the work of Mitchell V. Charn- credibility measure correlated. ley2 on newspaper reporting accuracy and the work of the Yale group on believabil- + Five decades of research on media cred- ity of source as a component of persuasive ibility have raised a number of questions communication impact.3 Interest in credi- about the extent of media credibility prob- bility increased after the Roper polling lems.1 Estimates of the magnitude of prob- organization began to ask a question in lems depend on how "credibility" is meas- surveys for the Television Information Office about the relative believability of ured. The purpose of this article is to media and got differing results between describe measurement of this concept in 1959 and 1961, which pointed to increased previous research and to report the results public trust in television, compared with I For historical data. see: Cecilie Gaziano and Kristin newspapers.4 Since 196 I, television's lead McGrath. "The Media Credibility Problem: Putting the over other media has increased. However, Research into Perspective." paper presented to the American Association for Public Opinion Research. McAffcc. N.J. (1985): Hazel Caudet Erskine. 'The Polls: Opinion of the News Media." Public Opinion Quartrrl?.. 34:63043 (1970-71); D. Charles Whitney. 'The Media and the People: Americans' Experience with the News Media: A Fifty-Year Review." Gan- nett Center for Media Studies. Columbia University. New Kristin McGrath, president of MORl Research, York. NY 10027 (1985). headed the study and coordinated planning with the 2 'Preliminary Not- on a Study of Newspapcr Accuracy." ASNE Credibility Committee, of which David Law- Journalism Quarterlr. 13394-401 (1936). rence, Jr.. was chairman. Cccilie Gaziano, research 1 Carl 1. Hovland. Irving L. Janis. and Howard H. Kelley. analyst, was project director of the national survey. Communication and Persuasion. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale Funding was provided by: the Associated Press. the University Press. 1953): Carl 1. Hovland and Walter Weiss. ASNE Foundation. the American Newspaper Pub- 7heInfluence ofSource Credibility on Communication Ell=- lishers Association Foundation, Associated Press tivencls," 'Public Opinion Quarterly. 15635dSO. Managing Editors Association, Cox Enterprises. the 4 Burns W. Roper. Public. Attitudes Toward Television ad Gannett Foundation, the Scripps-Howard Founda- Othrr Media in a Time of ChanKe. (New York: Television tion and the Knight Foundation. Special acknowl- Information OW=. 198s). The question was: 'I( you 801 con- flicting or different reports of the same news story from radio. edgement is made of comments and insights offered by televirion. the mapzines and the newspapers. which of the four David Lawrence, Jr.. publisher, the Detroit Frce versions would you be most inclined to believe-the one on Press, and Virginia Dodge Fielder, director of news radio or television or magazines or newspapers?" and circulation research, Knight-Ridder. 45 1 Downloaded from jmq.sagepub.com by FELICIA GREENLEE BROWN on April 12, 2012 452 JOURNALISM QUARTERLY the margin over newspapers has remained different approach to study and each of relatively stable.5 which varied in definitions of credibility.13 The Roper question has been the most A national survey by the Los Angeles frequently used operational definition of Times Poll concerned perceptions of polit- credibility in published research. At least ical bias in newspaper reporting and evalu- 14 reports have used some version of this ations of media in performance, accuracy, question.6 Some of these studies have found that whether the question specifies 5 In 1959.32% said they would believe newspapers. and 29% said they would believe television. In 1%1,24% said they would "local" news stories or "national" news believe newspapers. and 39% said television. In 1984.24%said can influence results on the relative credi- newspapers and 53% said tekvision. bility of television and newspapers. In 6 For example. rce: Lalie A. hxter and John R. Bittncr. 'High School and Colkgc Perccptiona of Media Credibility." some studies, newspapers have been per- Journalism Quarrrrly. 51:517dM (1974); Ronald Mulder, ceived as more believable than television 'Mdb Credibility: A Usc-Gratification Approach," Journal- ism Quarrrrly. 57474476 (1980); Jay Reagan and Jayne Zen- for local news? but this has not always aty. 'Local News Credibility: Newspapers vs. TV Revisited." been so.8 Although this question has been Journalism QuarIrr/v. %I68472 (1979); David Shaw.'Public Finds News Media More Fair than Accurate." Lor Angela pursued for about a quarter of a century, Timrs.pp. I,MZI (&I.II. I98l)ind"PublicRclinonTVfor apparently no researchers have asked New of World. Papers for Local Covcnge. Survey Finds." Lor people if they ever actually have received Angelcs Timrs. pp. 3, 22 (&I. 13. 1981. Ldte Final Edition); Eugene Shaw. 'Media Credibility: Taking the Measure of a conflicting news stories about different Measure." Journalism Quarrrrlv. 50306-31 I (1973). media. 7 James 8. Lemcrt. "News Media Competition Under Condi- When researchers' interest in credibility tions Favorable to Newspapers." Journalism Quarrrrly,47272- 280 (1970); Guido Stempel. 111. 'Effects on Rllormm of a began to mushroom in the 196Os, interest Cross-Media Monopoly." Journalism Monographs. No. 29 also grew in developing the concept more (June 1973). fully. Hovland and his colleagues identi- John D. Abel and Michael 0.Wirth. 'Newspaper vs. TV Credibility for Local News." Journalism Quarrrrly. W371-375 fied two main components of source cred- (1977); Walter Gantz. 'The lnflucna of Research Methods on ibility as "trustworthiness" and "exper- Television and Newspaper News Credibility Evaluations," tise.'- This led some scholars to be Journalo/I*Wdcasting. 25:155--169 (1981); Stempel, op. rir. 9 Hovland. rt al. op. rif.; Hovhnd and Weiss. op. rir. interested in identifying through factor 10 Harwy K. Jacobson. "Mass Media Believability: A Study analysis, underlying dimensions of credi- of Receiver Judgments." Journalism Quartrrly. 46:M28(1969); bility such as "safety," "qualification," "dy- Raymond S. H. Lee. "Credibility of Newspaper and TV News," Journalism Quorrrr/v, 55282-287 (1978); David K. Berlo. namism," "knowledgeability," "accuracy," James B. Lemert. and Robert J. Mertz. "Dimensions for Evalu- "fairness,'' and "completeness," as well as ating the Acceptability of Message Sources." hblir Opinion differences between media and people as Quartrr!i*, 33563-576 (1969-70). 11 Timothy J. Meyer. 'Media Credibility: The State of the communication sources.IO Research." Fublir Trlrrommunirarions Rrvirn: 2(4):48-52 The degree to which people differentiate (1974); Michael Burgoon. Juda K. Burgoon, and Miriam Wil- kinson, "Newspaper Image and Evaluation." Journalism Quar- among different criteria for media per- rrr/v, 5841 1419,433 (1981); Gantz. op. rir. formance, concepts implying credibility, 82 American Society of Newspaper Editors. Nrwspapr Crrd- different kinds of media and various ibiliry: Building Rradrr Trust. American Society of Newspaper Editors. conducted by MORl Research. Inc.. P.O. Box 17004, media functions has not been clear. Sev- Washington. D. C. 20041 (1985). Other ASNE publications eral researchers have concluded that cred- from this study include: 'Focus Groups on Newspaper Credibil- ity" and "Technical Appendix/ Newspaper Credibility: Building ibility is a multidimensional concept, Reader Trust" (both 1985). although the dimensions identified vary An annotated bibliography on media credibility is included in from study to study." the technical appendix. The data tapes for the study have been deposited with the Roper Center at the University of Connecti- Concern that the public distrusts the cut. Inquiries may be addressed In the Center at Box U164. news media and that this distrust may be Univerity of Connecticut. Storrs. CN 06268. Tekphone (203) increasing led the American Society of 4864441. 13 David Shew, 'The Times Poll: Media: High Ratings Arc Newspaper Editors (ASNE) to commis- Tempered," Los Angeles Timrs. pp. I. 8 (Aug. 12, 1985) (LOS sion a more comprehensive look at credi- Angelcs Timrs Poll No. 94); D. Charles Whitney, "The Media bility than any previous research, with a and the People: Soundings from Two Communities." Gannett Center for Media Studies. Columbia University. New York. NY special focus on newspapers.12 It was fol- 10027 (1985); The Proplr & rhr firsst A Timrs-Mirror Investi- lowed in 1985 by at least three other com- gation of Public Attitudes Toward the News Media, conducted by the Gallup Organization in collaboration with Michael J. 3 prehensive surveys of the public on credi- Robinson of George Washington University and the American bility, each of which chose a somewhat Enterprise Institute ( 1986). Downloaded from jmq.sagepub.com by FELICIA GREENLEE BROWN on April 12, 2012 Measuring the Concept of Credibility 453 fairness, responsibility, and role in criti- unlisted numbers to be included. Up to cism of government. The Gannett Center four attempts were made to reach respon- conducted studies in two communities, dents