Rohrbach, T., & Valli, C. (2026). Conspiracy in the making: The role of journalistic strategies in the formation of new conspiracy beliefs. Journalism Studies, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670x.2026.2623882
Summary
This paper argues that journalists are not merely passive conduits through which conspiracy beliefs spread, but can be active participants in the formation of such beliefs. Rohrbach and Valli examine how specific reporting practices — particularly framing and narrative choices — may inadvertently foster conspiratorial thinking among audiences. Positioned within journalism studies and media effects research, the work engages debates about the press’s role in misinformation and public epistemology, asking under what conditions ordinary news coverage helps generate rather than counter conspiratorial worldviews.
Key Contributions
- Connects journalism studies with the literature on conspiracy theory formation.
- Shifts the analytical focus from the diffusion of conspiracy beliefs to their generation through journalistic practice.
- Highlights the possibility that well-intentioned reporting strategies may have unintended epistemic consequences.
Methods
The approach and methodological details are not specified in the available abstract. The paper appears in Journalism Studies and centers on the relationship between reporting practices (framing, narrative choices) and audience belief formation.
Findings
- Specific empirical findings are not available from the abstract alone.
- The central claim is that journalistic strategies play a role in the formation — not just the spread — of conspiracy beliefs.
- Certain reporting practices may inadvertently cultivate conspiratorial thinking in audiences.
Connections
This work sits within a broader body of research on conspiracy belief and resistance to misinformation, complementing psychological studies of conspiratorial thinking such as van-der-Linden2026-jt and inoculation-oriented approaches like Spampatti2026-kx. Its emphasis on the mechanics of journalistic framing also resonates with work on news production and information disorder more generally.