MEDIA TRUST IN POLARIZED AND FRAGMENTED MEDIA CONTEXT: AN ANALYSIS OF MAINSTREAM AND ALTERNATIVE NEWS SOURCES

Abstract

The contemporary news and information landscape offers abundant media choices, making selective exposure a prominent feature of user behavior. This study explores the motivations behind users’ selective exposure and their choices among various media types, focusing on both mainstream and alternative news sources. Media trust plays a crucial role in shaping consumption patterns, yet it remains unclear to what extent individuals trust traditional news outlets and how this trust—or lack thereof—influences their reliance on alternative media. By examining users’ perceptions and behaviors, this research aims to understand the evolving dynamics of media trust and its impact on news consumption. Study findings are based on original survey (n=408) collected from both male and female. Analysis focused on what are the primary sources of news and information seeking and what media sources are used as an alternative to primary sources for various purposes based on users’ needs. What consequences media fragmentation and media polarization have on the users’ perception about alternative media? Findings demonstrate that users have their own distinct meanings of mainstream and alternative news sources. Users’ perception has moved from mainstream (TV and Newspaper) and alternative news sources (digital media) to mainstream (digital media) and alternative news sources (TV and Newspaper). Additionally, people in more fragmented and polarized media contexts, are more likely to utilize mass media such as tv and newspaper outlets as alternative news media and digital media such as social media, websites etc…as mainstream news source, even if more news sources are available.