The Rule of Law Predicts Trust in Journalists

Insufficient trust in journalists creates space for disinformation. We ask whether institutions can safeguard trust in journalists. Our main finding is that the rule of law is positively and robustly associated with trust in journalists. The rule of law arguably promotes trustworthy behavior by punishing deceit and dishonesty, thereby fostering trust. Robustness checks support this result. Moderation analysis indicates that the relationship between the rule of law and trust in journalists is weaker in low-income countries; this difference vanishes once gross domestic product per capita, a variable strongly correlated with the rule of law yet negatively associated with trust in journalists, is taken into account. A heterogeneous treatment analysis using the COVID-19 pandemic as an exogenous shock to trust levels offers suggestive evidence against reverse causality. Though exploratory, our findings point to the importance of high-quality legal institutions in combatting distrust in journalists.