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Media
Equation
revisited
Does a reporters presence in online video
enhance credibility?

Hans K. Meyer, Ph.D. and Jessica Lohner
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
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Research Question
Which is more credible?






Does it matter online?
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Literature
Media Equation (1996)
Social Presence
Coorientation

Interactivity (Rafaeli, 2004)
Internet a social medium.
Credibility includes connection
(Johnson & Kaye 2004)

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Hypotheses / Methods
Relationship between
Social Presence
Coorientation
Article credibility
For videos author (reporter) or sources
(people interviewed)
Between-subjects experiment
Variable: Reporter present (both onscreen and
in voiceover) or not

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Findings
A reporters presence matters for
Social presence
Coorientation
But NOT for credibility, if interest is factored
out.


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Findings

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Social Presence -
Reporter
Co-orientation -
Reporter
Social Presence -
Source
Co-orientation -
Source
Story Credibility Interest
Story 1: Bark Beetles
No Reporter Present
Reporter Present
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Findings

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Social Presence -
Reporter
Co-orientation -
Reporter
Social Presence -
Source
Co-orientation -
Source
Story Credibility Interest
Story 4: Sinkhole
No reporter present
Reporter present
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Findings
A reporters presence matters for
Social presence
Coorientation
But NOT for credibility, if interest is factored
out.

Social presence and coorientation
influence connection which can lead to
credibility.


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Discussion
Participants continued to notice reporter
even when he or she was not physically
present.

Further studies could expand on concepts
of social presence, coorientation and
credibility.
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Discussion

Having a reporter makes it easier for
audiences to identify with reporters,
therefore leading to higher connectivity
levels.
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Conclusion
News must adapt to new mediums.

The more we understand, the more
valuable information we have that will
help audiences make important decisions
regarding the news.