Contested Narratives: Audience Perception, Media Credibility, and Propaganda in the Israel on Palestine Conflict
Abstract
This study investigates the role of propaganda in shaping news reporting on the Israel–Palestine conflict, with a particular focus on its influence on audience values and perceptions of media credibility. In the contemporary media environment, news is frequently framed through selective narratives, agenda-setting, and ideological positioning, which may affect how audiences interpret conflict-related information and determine the trustworthiness of media sources. Adopting a quantitative research design, the study employs a structured survey distributed among young adult media users in Malaysia. The instrument measures key variables including exposure to conflict-related news, perceived presence of propagandistic elements, audience value alignment, and levels of trust in different media platforms. Statistical analyses, including correlation and regression, are conducted to examine the relationships between propaganda exposure and perceived credibility, as well as the extent to which audience values mediate this relationship. The findings indicate that higher exposure to polarised and emotionally framed news content is significantly associated with lower perceived media credibility, particularly among respondents with strong pre-existing value orientations. Additionally, audience values are found to play a mediating role, shaping how individuals interpret and evaluate conflicting narratives. The study also reveals that reliance on social media as a primary news source correlates with increased susceptibility to propagandistic framing. This research contributes to the field of media warfare and perception management by providing empirical evidence on how propaganda influences audience trust and interpretation in conflict reporting. The findings offer practical implications for developing effective communication strategies.
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