Determinants of Media Trust among College Teachers in Kolkata: A Comparative Study across Diverse Communication Platforms

Media credibility plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion, knowledge acquisition, and information acceptance in contemporary society. The effectiveness of mass communication largely depends on the degree of trust audiences place in different media platforms. This study examines the level of media trust among college teachers in Kolkata and South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, through a comparative assessment of newspapers, television, and radio as sources of news and information during the period 2005–2010. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate perceptions of media credibility, accuracy, and reliability among higher education professionals in urban and rural settings. A survey method was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to 200 college teachers selected through simple random sampling from twenty colleges located in Kolkata and South 24 Parganas. The study analyzed respondents’ perceptions regarding the accuracy of newspaper reports, the credibility of newspapers, television news, and radio broadcasts, and their preferences for the most credible medium. The findings reveal that newspapers were perceived as the most accurate and credible source of information in both urban and rural areas. A majority of respondents considered newspaper reports factually reliable, with credibility ratings exceeding those of television and radio. While television news also enjoyed a substantial level of trust, radio maintained a moderate yet stable credibility rating across both regions. Comparative analysis further indicates that rural respondents expressed slightly higher levels of trust in traditional media than their urban counterparts. Overall, print media emerged as the most trusted medium among college teachers, highlighting its enduring relevance despite the growing influence of electronic media. The study concludes that media credibility remains a significant factor in information consumption patterns and that traditional media, particularly newspapers, continue to command substantial trust among educated audiences in West Bengal.