Does Trust Matter?

Nechushtai has written a magisterial, thought-provoking analysis of the question of trust in journalism. Drawing from a rich set of interviews with journalists in several countries, she ably dissects the meanings of trust and the way newsrooms navigate the ambiguities of public opinion and credibility about press performance. -- Silvio Waisbord, author of <i>An Introduction to Journalism: Thinking Globally</i> Lucid, thoughtful, and pathbreaking. Drawing on more than ninety eye-popping interviews with journalists in both the U.S. and Germany, Efrat Nechushtai analyzes how the efforts of news organizations to rebuild media trust through face-to-face contact with community members proved useless. Journalists should read this book, as should academics who study journalism—and anyone else who is interested in how good intentions can go badly astray. -- Michael Schudson, author of <i>Journalism: Why It Matters</i> Does Trust Matter? asks the question that many of us would rather avoid: what happens if journalists are wrong that the public shares their commitment to the common good, holding power to account, and to liberal democracy? Nechushtai's provocative argument is a call to action: the battle to rebuild trust in journalism may be the wrong fight. Rather, the best defense against the rising tide of illiberalism is critical journalism guided by a sense of purpose. -- Nik Usher, author of <i>News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism</i> This highly original and essential book challenges the conventional wisdom that restoring public trust should be journalism’s top priority. Nechushtai convincingly shows that when journalists instead concentrate on their civic missions, they are better able to serve their audiences, even if—and in part because—they don’t always please them. -- Rodney Benson, lead author of <i>How Media Ownership Matters</i>