Comparison & Magnitude Credibility: Whom to Trust When Reports are Conflicting?

Abstract

This study used the concepts of comparison credibility and magnitude credibility to assess perceived news media credibility in China. It also investigated which sources people trusted more when they encountered conflicting reports regarding different kinds of stories including entertainment news, disaster news and political news. A random sample from three major metropolises (n = 1,844) were telephone interviewed. Results indicated that television was perceived as the most trustworthy. Regardless of the type of stories, people trusted national Chinese media over other media outlets. Implications on credibility research are discussed.