How do journalists build trust on Twitter: A comparative analysis of local and regional UK reporters

The aim of this thesis is to examine the prevalence and importance of transparency practices used by local and regional journalists on Twitter. Trust in national media brands is low, and the widespread use of the internet and social media have been the catalyst for underfunding and closures of local and regional media outlets. Twitter offers a platform for journalists to build relationships and trust with their followers, away from the established brands of the newspapers and television stations which employ them. This sequential, mixed-methods study analysed Twitter content from 52 reporters between 20 April-20 July 2017, to find how reporters from differing mediums utilise transparency on Twitter, and why they choose to use these practices. A content analysis, combined with outcomes from a Smallest Space Analysis (SSA), showed that the medium a reporter works for influences how they tweet and utilise transparency practices on Twitter. Print journalists tend to tweet more, but use transparency less, predominantly using the platform for one-way, non-interactive communication with followers. Conversely, broadcast reporters are more likely to tweet less while utilising a wider variety of interactive, sharing and two-way discussion transparency practices. A snap election called during the data collection period revealed covering events does appear to have an effect on transparency use. Proceeding qualitative interviews indicate reporters in the sample are using transparency practices on Twitter for building trust, but it is not their sole purpose. Transparency use on Twitter is a reflection of how journalists feel trust can be built between reporters and audience. Print journalists use transparency on Twitter, but remain tied to traditional objective practices by not routinely sharing opinions and personal details. Broadcast reporters are less likely to use objectivity in their Twitter practice, opting for a wider variety of transparency practices, consistently. It is not clear from this study whether this is due to the training journalist’s are receiving prior to starting their career, on the job training, or differing traditional norms and practices in print and broadcast newsrooms.