Source credibility as a journalistic work tool

One key determinant of who becomes a news source and thus acquires voice and involvement in news content is the extent to which different agents are perceived by journalists as credible (Detjen et al., 2000; Gans, 1979; Goldenberg, 1975). Source credibility in journalism, that is always a perceived phenomenon (hence hereinafter “credibility” is used to mean “perceived credibility”), extends far beyond the believability of one actor or another, as human agents stand behind virtually all news (Reich, 2009; Sigal, 1986; Strömbäck and Nord, 2005) and credibility is interwoven into the wider logic of news making, outlining the borderline between versions and facts, trust and skepticism, objectivity and bias, high exposure and news deprivation (Cottle, 2000; Reich 2009; Schudson, 2001).