The power and pitfalls of constructive journalism: The effects of hopeful narratives in the news on attitudes, engagement and knowledge

Recent research has argued that constructive journalism, which presents negative news by focusing on positive values and solutions, may reduce audiences’ tendency to avoid news without sacrificing perceived news credibility. This study uses a between-subjects experimental design ( N = 1011) to examine in greater nuance the psychological outcomes of constructive narratives highlighting the protagonist’s hope in face of adversity. Our respondents reported more positive emotions in the hopeful protagonist condition (compared with the despairing protagonist), but they also perceived the government as less responsible for the situation and reported lower levels of support for necessary policy changes. They also gained less information from the story. We consider the implications of these findings for the watchdog role of journalism.