Keywords: Trust in media, social media, television viewing behaviors

Background
Until recently, watching television news for political information was a solitary or in-person group activity. But with the rise of social media, viewing television has become an online communal event. Television viewers are now ‘second screening’ - using a digital device such as a smart phone or laptop while they are watching television. Viewers second screen primarily to discuss what they are watching with online friends and to acquire information about what they are watching (Gil de, Zúñiga, Garcia-Perdomo & McGregor, 2015).
Several studies have examined the democratic potential of second screening to increase political participation (Gil de Zúñiga et al, 2015; Vaccari, Chadwick & O’Loughlin, 2015) and knowledge (Chadwick, O’Loughlin & Vaccari, 2017). The combination of obtaining information from online sources and online political discussion while watching a program is a more powerful influence on political behaviors and knowledge than attending to media alone (Shah, 2016). Second screening might benefit the democratic process in other ways, such as increasing trust in mediated sources of political information.
This study explores the degree to which the frequency of second screening political programs, the motivations for doing so, the platforms (Facebook, Twitter, chat, text) used to second screen, and who viewers second screen with predict trust in a) social media (political sites, political blogs, Facebook, Twitter, video sites, mobile apps), b) mainstream media (broadcast television news, CNN, MSNBC, newspapers, news magazines), c) political talk sources (talk radio, news radio, face-to-face discussion, online chat), and d) Fox News.

Method
Data were collected from October 31, 2016 through November 2, 2016 by a national online panel of 644 survey respondents associated with Survey Sampling International. Quota sampling reflects the U. S. population in terms of age, gender, and political party affiliation.

Results
Overall the findings show that most of the second screening variables are moderately strong and positive predictors of trust in social media, mainstream media, political talk sources, and Fox News after controlling for demographics and political measures.
Several key findings are as follows: The frequency of second screening of political shows on television positively and significantly predicts trust in all four media categories; Second screening with friends in real life and with unknown others significantly predicts trust in all the media categories except that friends in real life does not predict trust in Fox News; Second screening through Facebook predicts trust in only social media, relying on Twitter positively influences trust in social media, political talk, and Fox News, and texting while second screening predicts trust in mainstream media and political talk; Second screening to learn other people’s opinions significantly and positively predicts trust in all three media factors and in Fox News. In contrast, second screening for informational purposes only predicts trust in mainstream media.
Furthermore, in some cases, demographics and political predispositions, such as trust in government, self-efficacy and political leanings, are stronger predictors of media trust than second screening.