Study shows it's hard to change minds about news bias; project leader recommends more reader engagement - Entrepreneur Generations

The findings from a six-month project on trust in the media indicate that, while it's very difficult to change people's onions about news, it helps to explain the process of news gathering and decision making, Rod Hicks and Zoë Berg report for the Society of Professional Journalists. Hicks led the project, and was aided by Rebecca Travers.

The SPJ and the SPJ Foundation conducted Media Trust & Democracy: The Casper Project to get a deeper understanding of why many people distrust the news media. From February to July of 2019, Hicks and Travers asked 36 people from all walks of life to explain why they were skeptical about news stories. All participants were also asked to attend five discussions and presentations that showed them the process through which journalists research, write, edit and publish news stories, Hicks and Berg report.

All participants lived in Casper, Wyoming. They picked Wyoming for the project because it has a slightly higher share of residents who distrust the news media. "Conservative Wyoming residents who participated said the press is biased against conservative values, intent on smearing President Donald Trump and uninterested in changing its ways," Hicks and Berg report. "They, like moderates and liberals in the project, made no significant changes in their news consumption habits or level of trust in the news media after going through the sessions."

However, although none of the participants changed their views, the project showed the issues many people have with the news media, and most participants said they thought the project was worthwhile and that they learned a lot. "For me, one of the big takeaways is that conservatives do not see themselves reflected in mainstream news coverage," Hicks writes.

The project makes five recommendations for news organizations:

• Enage with readers, listeners or viewers regularly to see what stories they're interested in and seek feedback.
• Educate: explain how your news organization works and how journalists do their jobs (including how they ensure accurate reporting).
• Seek out bias; consider ways to make opinion pieces more distinct from hard news, especially in television news.
• Be transparent, and tell your audience the motivation behind your controversial decisions.
• Create your own version of the Casper Project, tailored to a local audience.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/31yftMw Study shows it's hard to change minds about news bias; project leader recommends more reader engagement - Entrepreneur Generations

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