Audience constructions of fake news in Australian media representations of asylum seekers

Abstract In recent years, the term ‘fake news’ has gained considerable traction in scholarly and public discourse. While fake news is increasingly attributed to declining audience trust, we know little about how publics are making sense of concept. To address this, I discuss findings arising from interviews with 24 Western Australian media consumers who offered their perspectives on coverage asylum seekers. Combining Critical Discourse methods Rhetorical Analysis, highlight participants evaluated misinformation disinformation seekers particular, some adopted a discourse delegitimise that oppose own stance. Discussed alongside Egelhofer Lecheler’s (2019) theoretical framework ‘label’, argue by understanding audiences discussed before concept rose prominence 2016, scholars can meaningfully examine discursive patterns within social constructions across numerous contemporary historical contexts.