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Journalism Students and Information Consumption in the Era of Fake News

Author

Listed:
  • Santiago Tejedor

    (Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

  • Marta Portalés-Oliva

    (Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

  • Ricardo Carniel-Bugs

    (Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

  • Laura Cervi

    (Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

Technological platforms, such as social media, are disrupting traditional journalism, as a result the access to high-quality information by citizens is facing important challenges, among which, disinformation and the spread of fake news are the most relevant one. This study approaches how journalism students perceive and assess this phenomenon. The descriptive and exploratory research is based on a hybrid methodology: Two matrix surveys of students and a focus group of professors (n = 6), experts in Multimedia Journalism. The first survey (n = 252), focused on students’ perception of fake news, the second (n = 300) aims at finding out the type of content they had received during the recent confinement caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Results show that most of the students prefer online media as a primary source of information instead of social media. Students consider that politics is the main topic of fake news, which, according to the respondents, are mainly distributed by adult users through social networks. The vast majority believe that fake news are created for political interests and a quarter of the sample considers that there is a strong ideological component behind disinformation strategies. Nonetheless, the study also reveals that students do not trust in their ability to distinguish between truthful and false information. For this reason, this research concludes, among other aspects, that the promotion of initiatives and research to promote media literacy and news literacy are decisive in the training of university students.

Suggested Citation

  • Santiago Tejedor & Marta Portalés-Oliva & Ricardo Carniel-Bugs & Laura Cervi, 2021. "Journalism Students and Information Consumption in the Era of Fake News," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 338-350.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:meanco:v:9:y:2021:i:1:p:338-350
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Laura Cervi & José Manuel Pérez Tornero & Santiago Tejedor, 2020. "The Challenge of Teaching Mobile Journalism through MOOCs: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, June.
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