Based on a sample of 2,400 Kenyans from the Afrobarometer survey in 2019, the study tested a moderated mediation model in which news consumption had a positive impact on corruption perception, which in turn had a negative influence on institutional trust. The relationship between new consumption and corruption perception was moderated by support for press freedom. Specifically, news consumption’s positive impact on corruption perception was significant only among those who believe in press freedom, but not significant among those who agree with government censorship of media. This study makes a contribution to the literature of cultivation theory in the context of Kenyan respondents. Limitations and future research implications are discussed.
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