Interacting Is Believing

This study examined the effect of social cues and interactivity in social media on journalists’ credibility based on literature of journalists’ credibility, social information processing theory (SIPT), and social presence theory. Results from a mixed-design experiment showed participants rated highly interactive journalists to be more credible than those who are less interactive in social media. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications for journalists’ credibility in social media and practical applications for journalists seeking to utilize social media to engage with their audiences.