Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
This study explores the relationships between political orientation and news consumption, examining the mediating role of trust in media and the moderating role of interest in politics. Based on a survey of 9,558 audience members from Chile, our work reveals three key findings. First, political orientation is directly connected to individuals choosing to consume news from media outlets that align with their ideological beliefs, demonstrating a clear pattern of selective exposure. Second, trust in these media brands acts as a crucial mediator of this relationship, with individuals more likely to engage with news from sources they trust, often aligning with their political views. Third, political interest moderates all these links, with higher political interest intensifying selective exposure to like-minded media. These results enhance our understanding of confirmation bias in media consumption and underscore the intertwined roles of ideological preferences and perceived credibility. The findings have significant implications for media practices and policies to reduce political polarization and promote more diversified news consumption. Future research should consider experimental or longitudinal designs to further investigate these dynamics and explore interventions encouraging exposure to a broader range of viewpoints.
Mellado et al. (Wed,) studied this question.