Validating media credibility for new media users

• Published in: SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research
• Main Author: Yusuf F.A.M.; Abdullah M.H.T.; Ridzuan A.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor's University Lakeside Campus 2022
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85138285677&partnerID=40&md5=730a3d1cee0c4063e0e1de4a53918bea

The evolution of the Internet has shifted people’s preference from traditional media to new media. People used to depend on newspapers, television, and radio to keep themselves updated with news. Today, all the news and information can be obtained through new media, especially Facebook. Facebook is one of the platforms that has the highest users providing massive amount of information sourced from around the globe with intention to inform and provide knowledge. However, the unfettered proliferation of fake news has led to many users doubting news credibility. By measuring the credibility of messages, sources and news medium, the new media’s credibility can be defined in a statistical way. Thus, this study aims to investigate news credibility among Facebook users in Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) Negeri Sembilan branch campus. A sample of 134 undergraduates from different faculties was selected for this study through simple random sampling. Data was collected using an online three-section survey that assessed perceived Facebook credibility, Facebook credibility factors and Facebook credibility dimensions. To determine the number of constructs or factors involved, tests such as quality, loading factors and construct validity, as well as Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted. The reliability test results reveal that the internal consistency is considered excellent except for one factor (Cronbach’s alpha = .893), which is considered good. © SEARCH Journal 2022.