The influence of negativity in news coverage on governmental trust during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

While increases in trust in institutions at the beginning of a crisis are well studied, less is known about the factors that contribute to a decline in trust. In this study, we examine how media coverage and perceptions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic influenced trust in the Swedish government's crisis handling. Using two waves of panel survey data and a quantitative content analysis of news, we investigate whether exposure to negative news coverage shaped individuals' beliefs about the pandemic's development, subsequently affecting governmental trust. Results show that higher exposure to negative media content led to more negative perceptions of the pandemic's progression, which in turn diminished trust in the government. Personal experience with the pandemic did not moderate this relationship, suggesting that media-driven perceptions were influential regardless of direct crisis impact on individuals.