Journal article
How health journalists gatecheck public figures who share misinformation
Journalism (London, England)
10/29/2025
DOI: 10.1177/14648849251391857
Abstract
This study investigates how health journalists report handling misinformation shared by a public figure. Survey results from 629 U.S. journalists show that nearly 70% said they would gatecheck the information or make an explicit reference that the information was incorrect. Using the gatekeeping theory and the Hierarchy of Influences model, we examined the individual and organizational influences on information correction and found that women and more experienced professionals were less likely to correct the public figure. For those who chose to correct the public figure, their motivations included public-figure accountability, journalistic duty, concern that the audience would further pursue misinformation, and informing the public. Meanwhile, concerns about balance, maintaining neutrality in the marketplace of ideas, and amplifying misinformation could dissuade them.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- How health journalists gatecheck public figures who share misinformation
- Creators
- Rita Tang - University of MinnesotaZhiying Xu - Purdue University NorthwestAmanda Hinnant - University of MissouriRachel Young - University of IowaMaría Elizabeth Len-Ríos - University of Minnesota
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journalism (London, England)
- DOI
- 10.1177/14648849251391857
- ISSN
- 1464-8849
- eISSN
- 1741-3001
- Publisher
- Sage
- Grant note
- Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the Missouri School of Journalism
The authors thank the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the Missouri School of Journalism for its financial support.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 10/29/2025
- Academic Unit
- Injury Prevention Research Center; School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Record Identifier
- 9985024250402771
Metrics
21 Record Views