Exploring the Audience of Alternative News Media: Trust, Reflexivity, and Political Attitudes in the Czech Republic

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the audiences of Czech alternative news media (ANM) and seeks the predictors for its use. It examines the relationship between ANM usage and trust in mainstream media, media reflexivity, political interest, political attitudes that indicate the liberal-conservative divide, and political antagonism. Adopting an audience-centered approach, the study identifies ANM users through their self-identification based on perceived ANM news sources. Additionally, it verifies the robustness of this approach by considering a spectrum of alternative-to-mainstream news sources. The findings reveal that the reception of Czech ANM is associated with lower trust in professional mainstream media and higher political interest. Moreover, self-identification-based measures show links with internet usage and media reflexivity, while the second model found weak effects for one’s attitude to the European Union and political antagonism. The study discusses the differences between the approaches and the implications of both measurements.