Literate and Critical? Characterizing Users of Alternative Scientific Media

• DOI: 10.1177/10755470251323525
• Publication Date: 2025-03-18T06:14:27Z
• Authors: Lena Zils; Florian Wintterlin; Julia Metag; Niels G. Mede; Mike S. Schäfer

Science is of crucial importance in contemporary societies. Concurrently, legacy news media outlets are losing their position as the main fora for discussing and providing information on science politics. In hybrid system, a broader range have emerged. Among them alternative media, which themselves corrective voices to “mainstream” media—including when it comes reporting science. this context, our focus individuals who come into contact with science-related via media. We draw “Science Barometer Switzerland,” nationally representative online survey attitudes, beliefs, knowledge about research Switzerland conducted 2022 ( n = 1,122), investigate science- media-related predictors use access Our results indicate that clear majority—more than two-thirds—of Swiss population do not sources information. Respondents were more confident scientific literacy viewed elites highly skeptical established societal elites. However, they seem reject system principle.