Credibility for the 21st Century: Integrating Perspectives on Source, Message, and Media Credibility in the Contemporary Media Environment

TLDR

The rise of the Internet has raised concerns about the verity of online information and the responsibilities of media consumers, prompting renewed scholarly interest in source, message, and media credibility, yet existing research has not fully leveraged the rich half‑century of credibility studies. This chapter aims to demonstrate how past credibility research can inform contemporary efforts to understand Web‑based information credibility. The authors review, synthesize, and integrate the extensive literature on source, message, and media credibility, addressing conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement, and propose strategies to empower users and providers and outline a research agenda for credibility in the contemporary media environment.

Abstract

Technological capabilities and features of the Internet and World Wide Web have prompted concerns about the verity of online information, the credibility of new media, and the new responsibilities placed on media consumers. Reflecting these concerns, scholars have shown a renewed interest in the credibility of sources, their messages, and the media that carry them. Nonetheless, researchers who are currently reengaging the issue of information credibility have yet to take full advantage of the rich heritage left by credibility research conducted over the last half century. The primary aim of this chapter is to show how past research can inform present attempts to understand credibility in the new media environment, focusing particularly on Web-based information. Toward that end, this chapter reviews, synthesizes, and integrates the substantial literature on source, message, and media credibility; addresses issues of credibility conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement; suggests strategies to empower online users and information providers; and culminates with strategies for credibility research and an agenda for the study of credibility in the contemporary media environment.