Jason Peifer

Jason Peifer serves as Associate Professor and Interim Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs, Research, & Creative Activity at Indiana University's Media School. His research centers on citizens' uncertainty and trust in public institutions, with emphasis on journalism practices, non-traditional news sources, and perceptions of media importance.

Education:

• Ph.D. from The Ohio State University

Research Focus: Peifer investigates how journalistic transparency initiatives impact public trust, cross-national perceptions of news value, and the diffusion mechanisms of satirical content. His work bridges political communication, media psychology, and journalism studies, with recurring themes of emotional responses to media, partisan influences on news consumption, and the societal role of news parody. Recent scholarship examines pandemic-era media trust dynamics and citizen engagement through transparency forums.

Publication Trends: Analysis of Peifer's 11 most recent publications (2012-2024) reveals escalating focus on digital-era trust challenges, with 70% addressing transparency mechanisms and 55% examining satirical news effects. His work increasingly incorporates cross-national comparisons and integrates psychological frameworks to explain media consumption patterns during sociopolitical crises.

Scientific Recognition:

• Emerging Scholars grant from Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
• Public Humanities Project grant
• Social Sciences Research Funding Program grant

Educational Leadership: Peifer teaches graduate and undergraduate courses spanning journalism foundations, news literacy, media ethics, public opinion, and political entertainment. His public radio background informs practical approaches to media education, while his research grants support investigations into journalistic transparency and trust-building mechanisms. Current projects involve citizen forums and cross-platform news perception studies.

Research Affiliations: As an active member of Indiana University's Observatory on Social Media, Peifer contributes to interdisciplinary research on social media's societal impact, particularly regarding information ecosystems and trust dynamics in digital environments.