Context clues: Citizens and their higher valuation of the contextualist journalist role

Abstract

This study examines media trust and how members of the public perceive and value various journalistic roles using a nationally representative survey (n = 1,026) to redefine and confirm how the American public places significant value on the contextualist role of journalism. The individual journalistic functions that make up contextual reporting are also highly valued. Media trust is primarily predicted by overall journalistic role perception, even above ideological views, but not for the contextualist role.