Media trust in Turkey: A quantitative approach

It is expected that the media should be free and impartial for the democratic structure and communication of society. In ideal democratic systems, it is assumed that societal trust in the media will not occur without these conditions. The aim of this study is to investigate where conventional and non-conventional media are located in the general fluctuations in media trust in Turkey and the factors that shape trust in the media. The study will analyze the Turkey Trust Survey (2023) data through regression analysis in the R Studio environment. There are numerous independent variables that can explain the phenomenon of trust, and there are many variables that can be associated with trust in the media. When the literature is examined, it is possible to say that trust in conventional and unconventional media in Turkey can be explained with three separate groups of variables. These are media variables, political variables, and individual variables. In this study, media variables will be addressed regarding social media usage frequency and media freedom. Political variables will be examined through political interest, trust in political institutions, ideological position, and political knowledge. Individual trust variables will be evaluated through paranoia and personal trust. This research aims to explore the theoretical foundations on which trust in the media can be discussed in Turkey and to explain which variables shape trust in conventional and unconventional media. Thus, by discussing the determinants that play a decisive role in media trust, the aim is to contribute to the literature and future research. As a result of the analysis, independent variables that show a relationship contrary to the expected direction with trust in the media are political interest, personal trust, and income.