Media Credibility

a Psychometric Scale of Audience Attitudes Towards the News Media

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30962/ecomps.3072

Keywords:

Audience, Attitude, Trust, Journalism, Social Psychology

Abstract

Considering the context of press vulnerability, this study sought to ascertain the audience’s attitude towards the media using the Media Credibility Scale (ECM). This instrument is designed to measure the credibility individuals attribute to the media. Data were collected from 715 individuals through an online questionnaire on skepticism and the ECM. Negative correlations were found between ECM and age and political orientation. Student’s t-tests demonstrated that individuals who believe that the media helps society solve problems exhibited higher ECM means. The evidence of validity of the ECM establishes a nomological network that supports its suitability for the Brazilian context.

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Author Biographies

Lívia Vieira, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil

Professora na Faculdade de Comunicação e no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Comunicação e Cultura Contemporâneas da Universidade Federal da Bahia (Facom e PósCom-UFBA). Vice-Coordenadora do Grupo de Pesquisa em Jornalismo On-Line (GJOL | UFBA). Doutora e mestra em Jornalismo pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Jornalismo da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (PPGJOR-UFSC).

Sibele Aquino, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Doutora e mestra pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PPGPSI/PUC-Rio). Professora na Faculdade Presbiteriana Mackenzie Rio. Membro do Grupo de Trabalho em Ciberpsicologia da Associação Nacional de Pesquisa e Pós-graduação em Psicologia (GT 97 ANPEPP). Pós-doutoranda na PUC-Rio; e Pesquisadora nos grupos de pesquisa Desenvolvimento: Biologia e Cultura (PUC Rio) e Sustentabilidade, Direito e Desenvolvimento Econômico (Mackenzie Rio).

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Published

26-06-2025

How to Cite

Vieira, L., & Aquino, S. (2025). Media Credibility: a Psychometric Scale of Audience Attitudes Towards the News Media. E-Compós, 28. https://doi.org/10.30962/ecomps.3072

Issue

Vol. 28 (2025): E-Compós 2025

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Copyright (c) 2025 Lívia Vieira, Sibele Aquino

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