Social perception of journalism in Spain

Journalism is undergoing substantial changes derived from technological evolution and the social interaction that this evolution makes possible, especially the participation of the public in the construction of the storytelling. Apart from the traditional and digital media, new parajournalistic formulas are allowing the circulation of false or malicious content. These circumstances suggest that journalism is going through a credibility and trust crisis. To verify this, a result-oriented quantitative methodology was established, and a survey was conducted in Spain (n = 700). The perception of citizens about their own informational knowledge, the figure of the journalist as an element of trust, the values that give credibility to the information and the incidence of misinformation were investigated. The results show that Spanish citizens avoid a mono-media diet, although they are very critical of the availability of quality information in the current context. Radio is the medium that transmits the most trust, and credibility is associated with the professional above the medium where he or she works. The pressures of power and misinformation constitute the main threats to the journalistic profession, which can only regain its credibility through a firm commitment to the truth.