Contagious accuracy norm violation in political journalism: A cross-national investigation of how news media publish inaccurate political information.

ABSTRACT: This study introduces social norm theory to mis- and disinformation research and investigates whether, how and under what conditions broadsheets' accuracy norm violation in political journalism becomes contagious and shifts other news media in a media market towards increasingly violating the accuracy norm in political journalism as well. Accuracy norm violation refers to the publication of inaccurate information. More specifically, the study compares Swiss and UK media markets and analyses Swiss and UK press councils' rulings between 2000 and 2019 that upheld complaints about accuracy norm violations in political journalism. The findings show that broadsheets increasingly violate the accuracy norm the closer election campaigns approach to election dates. They thereby drive other news medi

SUBMITTER: Wilczek B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9660276 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature