authenticity as a currency - on trust in the media

Authenticity as a Currency

Negotiations of Trust in Broadcast and Digital Media

Key Note MEVI 16

Helsinki, 9 April 2016

Gunn Enli, Professor Department of Media and Communication

University of Oslo @gunnen

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‘Authenticity’ in Academic Studies

ü  Philosophy

ü  Phycology

ü  Sociology

ü  Art history

ü  Tourism studies

ü  Music studies

ü  Anthropology

Department of Media and Communication

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Mediated Authenticity

Authenticity in the context of the media is a

communicative process.

The degree of authenticity depends on

symbolic negotiations

between the main participants in the communication.

Department of Media and Communication

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The Paradox

Although we base most of our knowledge about the world on

mediated representations of reality, we are aware that the media

are constructed, manipulated, and even faked.

Department of Media and Communication

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The Authenticity Contract

v  Function: Compensates for the void - the missing link - between sender and receiver in mediated communication.

v  Stakeholders: Producers, audiences, and regulatory authorities.

v  Expectations: The genre system, established norms.

v  Irrationality: ‘Suspension of disbelief’, we want to believe.

Department of Media and Communication

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Authenticity Scandals v When the agreement collapses; contract is broken.

v Miscommunication; deceptions beyond the accepted level.

v Miscalculated (mass) audiences ‘media literacy’

Department of Media and Communication

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7 Ways to Construct Authenticity �

1. Predictability

2. Spontaneity

3. Immediacy

4. Confessions

5. Ordinariness

6. Ambivalence

7. Imperfection

Department of Media and Communication

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1. Predictability ��

q Storytelling: ‘Barack means blessed’

q Repeating phrases: Bush - Mr. Consistency

q Breaking the rules: Trump - Predictable chaos

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2. Spontaneity

q  Unscripted or unplanned (errors, in a hurry)

q  Uncontrolled emotions (anger, tears, insults)

q  Personal autonomy and breaking social norms (‘a true inner self’).

Department of Media and Communication

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3. Immediacy

q  Create a shared experience with the public, as if you were present in the same room.

q  Use personal pronoun and address the public directly and construct a ‘liveness’.

q  About Franklin D Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats: “I never saw him—but I knew him. Can you have forgotten how, with his voice, he came into our house, the President of these United States, calling us friends…?” (Carl Carmer, April 14, 1945)

Department of Media and Communication

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4. Confessions�

q Stories about childhood, poor background (autobiographies).

q Confessing to rumors can build an image as authentic (secrets).

q Tell parts of the story, but adjust major parts (half-truths).

Department of Media and Communication

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5. Ordinariness �

Department of Media and Communication

q  Everyday people. q  Down-to-earth.

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6. Ambivalence �

q Admit to the complexity and share your doubts

q Come across as open to various solutions

q Seem relaxed and unpolished

Department of Media and Communication

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7. Imperfection

Department of Media and Communication

q Display selected personal weaknesses or imperfections.q Makes the politician/celebrity/personality seem authentic. q The imperfections might be real or staged.

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Main Points

q Mediated authenticity is constructed through negotiations.

q The ‘authenticity contract’ is renegotiated with every new media technology, and new hybrid genre.

q Authenticity in the media is constructed by a set of strategies.

Department of Media and Communication

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Thank you!

Department of Media and Communication

Professor Gunn Enli,Department of Media and Communications,

University of Oslo

gunn.enli@media.uio.no@gunnen

“Sincerity - if you can fake that, you've got it made.” (George Burns)