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The consequences of alternative media and disinformation-prone alternative media consumption on political beliefs over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic
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DOI：10.1080/1369118X.2026.2689032.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
With growing distrust in mainstream media, citizens often turn to alternative sources to learn about socio-political events. There has been extensive research on how such media diets influence political attitudes and engagement. However, alternative media have served as an umbrella term for a variety of sources with various ideological leanings as well as journalistic standards. In this study, we introduce the distinction between Alternative Media (AM), which adhere more closely to journalistic standards, and Disinformation-Prone Alternative Media (DPAM), which frequently disseminate conspiratorial or misleading content. Drawing on a panel survey collected before and after COVID-19 (2019–2024) in Czechia, we examine how consumption of these two types of sources influenced political cynicism and internal political efficacy over time.
Results show that DPAM consumption is significantly associated with increased political cynicism and higher internal political efficacy—suggesting that anti-establishment narratives may simultaneously erode trust in institutions while fostering a sense of political empowerment. In contrast, AM consumption was linked to a decrease in political cynicism and had no significant effect on internal efficacy. These findings challenge the assumption that all alternative media undermine democratic engagement and show the need for distinguishing between independent critical journalism and disinformation-driven sources when researching their effects on political attitudes and engagement.
Keywords:
Alternative media
disinformation
political cynicism
political efficacy
Institutional trust
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