Exploring journalism students’ perceptions of disinformation in the Mediterranean region : a cross-national study on migration narratives in Greece, Cyprus and Malta

Abstract

Purpose – This study explores journalism students’ perceptions of disinformation in Greece, Cyprus and Malta, with particular reference to migration-related issues. It investigates their ability to identify misleading content, their assessment of the social-political consequences of false narratives and their proposed strategies for countering disinformation, shedding light on the role of media literacy as well. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed the focus group method. Participants were third-year journalism students in Greece, Cyprus and Malta and were selected based on their advanced academic level and prior knowledge of media literacy and combating disinformation techniques. The qualitative data were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework, combining an inductive and abductive approach to identify patterns and assess the findings. Findings – Research results identify journalism students’ strong awareness of disinformation indicators, including linguistic and visual elements, along with source credibility. Participants from Greece, Cyprus and Malta underscore the social impact of migration-related disinformation narratives, such as the reinforcement of stereotypes and polarisation. While students express varying perspectives on different age groups’ susceptibility to false news, they acknowledge the importance of media literacy education and training. Originality/value – This study offers a cross-national perspective on journalism students’ perceptions of disinformation narratives in the Mediterranean region. The research provides in-depth insights on how migration-related disinformation is identified and assessed in three countries that share similar media system characteristics and how perceived age susceptibility to misleading content could lead to different media literacy proposals.