Youth and Traditional Media: A Qualitative Analysis of Trust and Distrust in Latin America

Abstract

This article analyzes the perceptions of Social Communication and Journalism university students in Latin America regarding traditional media, based on the results of the project "Emerging news consumption by university students during the pandemic," developed by the "Investigar en Red" network, which brings together more than fifty universities from nine countries. The study adopts a descriptive qualitative approach based on focus groups as the main technique to investigate the information practices and perceptions of young people. Ninety-one groups were conducted across 43 universities. The discussions were transcribed and analyzed using Atlas.ti. Out of a total of 1,208 analyzed quotes, patterns of trust and distrust toward radio, television, and the press were identified, revealing that local media generate greater credibility due to their proximity and contextual relevance, while national media are criticized for their sensationalism and bias. Additionally, an incidental consumption of traditional media linked to family practices and daily routines is observed. It can be concluded that there is a process of reconfiguration of media trust among young people, where the local, the digital, and the experiential intertwine in new ways of relating to information.