Insights for restoring trust in journalism: perspectives of audiences and professionals in Chile

Abstract

This study examines how audience expectations for restoring trust in journalism align (or do not align) with those of journalists. To explore this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 journalists and 64 news consumers in Santiago, Chile. The findings reveal that, while both groups agree that trust in the media has significantly decreased, negatively affecting the reception of information, there are notable differences in the reasons that explain this distrust and in the proposed solutions to reverse it. First, a key difference in the conceptualization of trust is highlighted: while journalists focus on adhering to traditional norms of independence and objectivity, audiences place greater value on human attributes such as honesty, transparency, and emotional closeness. Second, the proposed solutions for restoring trust also vary. Journalists advocate for improving the quality of information and reinforcing professional ethics, while audiences suggest a more interactive approach that includes greater transparency and more effective two-way communication. Finally, the study addresses the role of new technologies in building trust. Journalists tend to view social media and algorithms as contributing factors to the rise in distrust, due to the spread of misinformation and polarization. However, audiences have a less negative perception of these technologies and, in some cases, consider them valuable tools that facilitate access to a diversity of information sources, allowing them to form their own opinions.