Abstract

Using a two-wave panel dataset, this study set out to better understand the relationship between mainstream news trust, countermedia attendance (i.e., the use of informational sources that directly criticize, oppose, and challenge the mainstream news media), and political knowledge. The results of a lagged autoregressive path model indicated that mainstream news media trust was negatively associated with countermedia attendance and that countermedia attendance was negatively associated with political learning. An additional cross-lagged panel model estimating reciprocal effects between mainstream news trust and countermedia attendance suggested that frequent attendance to countermedia sources is also supportive of diminished levels of trust in the mainstream news media.

Keywords

countermedia; mainstream news media trust; political knowledge; political learning

How to Cite

Hopp, T., Ferrucci, P., Vargo, C. J., & Mays, B. (2025). Mainstream news media trust, countermedia attendance, and political learning. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10776990251329044

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Version and Rights

This is the author-accepted manuscript (Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly). For the final published version, see the DOI above.