To Report or Not to Report? A Qualitative Analysis of Journalists' Perspectives on Harm to Public Opinion.

ABSTRACT: Journalists face intricate decisions regarding what to publish, especially when problematic content may impact public opinion in a way that could fuel hate and/or undermine democratic attitudes. While scholarship has recognized the importance of this issue, most studies focus on published content, how citizens engage with it, and the implications of published news. In this article, we provide a fresh perspective on the crucial dilemma faced by journalists concerning their perceived impact on public opinion, by leveraging data based on 36 semistructured in-depth interviews with journalists covering Brazil's political landscape. The interviews were conducted between December 7, 2021, and July 20, 2022. Our main findings are threefold. First, we find a consensus among journalists regarding wh

SUBMITTER: Ferreira RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12411913 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature