Expectations, evaluations and experiences: taking audiences seriously in redefining journalism

Surveys consistently point to low levels of public trust in UK journalism that undermine the credibility of journalism (Gibson et al., 2022). Our research responds to the need to complement these valuable yet sometimes generic measurements of trust with qualitative approaches that can “unveil what people actually think and how they interpret the concept.” (Knudsen, 2022). We argue that if we want to educate students of journalism about the ways in which journalists and news organisations can act to improve the fundamental relationship between them and their audiences, there is a need to take audiences and their experiences seriously.
Addressing the conference themes of redefining journalism for a changed world and the importance of ethical journalism, this paper explores the disconnect between audience expectations of how ethical frameworks should shape journalistic practices, and their evaluations of how these frameworks shape journalism in reality. Our thematic analysis of eight focus groups with forty-four participants identified three explanatory themes which highlight specific aspects of UK journalism that contribute to the disparity that we found between audience expectations and evaluations, underpinning distrust. First, there is significant scepticism about the motives behind news production, particularly when stories are perceived as biased or sensationalist. Second, historical transgressions by the British tabloid press have led to an ongoing distrust among some news audiences. Third, trust issues stem from both intuition and past experiences, with stronger notions of distrust linked to known instances of wrongdoing.
The paper concludes by exploring audience suggestions for increasing trust, which point to the need for journalism educators to teach students of journalism how they can play an important role in enhancing trust in journalism through greater visibility, transparency, efficacy, and public engagement.