Alternative News Orientation and Trust in Mainstream Media: A Longitudinal Audience Perspective

Abstract

The emergence of online alternative news sites has enabled people to easily access viewpoints corresponding to their social and political identities and challenging mainstream media coverage. Taking an audience perspective and relying on a large four-wave panel survey from Sweden, this study examines orientation towards alternative news, paying specific attention to the potential reinforcing relationship with trust in mainstream media. Results show that increasing orientation towards alternative news is related to decreasing trust in mainstream media, and vice versa. In addition, the study highlights how alternative news orientation supplements rather than replaces consumption of traditional news. These findings provide valuable insights on the alternative news users and the dynamics of their media consumption, informing the debate on the role played by alternative news media in society.