The effect of transparency on news engagement: The credibility of the news media and ways to increase it

Abstract

The goal of this study was to propose a three-level framework for assessing the level of transparency, consisting of national or supranational (in the case of the EU) policy reflected in legislative and regulatory documents, information about specific media outlets, and a protocol for ensuring transparency in news production. The structural elements of transparency were described through an analysis of different approaches to transparency, considering the influence of audience engagement and trust on each of the three components. The analysis of the first aspect revealed that the information policies of both the EU and China aim to provide unimpeded access to information whenever possible. The results obtained in this study can serve as a foundation for establishing criteria for transparency, which in turn can enhance public trust in media outlets entering foreign markets.

Keywords

communication disclosure information journalism trust

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