Relational mechanisms in media-audience interaction under controversy: Public perceptions of media performance in Lithuania

In this article, we look at public opinion formation as a mutually integrating process that treats media and audiences as an amalgamated whole – something that emerges from the relationship between media and people, rather than from two separate worlds. The outcome of such “relational dynamics” – an interaction between media “supply” and audience information choices, i.e. “demand” features – may lead to “relational polarization”, a process in which divisions become embedded in social ties and media interaction patterns, rather than only in issue understandings. The presented study draws on a 2024 representative survey of Lithuanian residents (N = 1000). The analysis compares media perceptions between two groups with opposing opinions on selected issues: supporters and opponents. The results indicate that polarization of society is closely tied to how people relate to the media and perceive its coverage, rather than to general trust or distrust of the media. The study contributes to contemporary scholarship on public sphere fragmentation, the role of the media in today’s hybrid environment, particularly reporting on polarizing issues, and the audience studies that place greater emphasis on people’s lived experiences in media identifications.