The following is an excerpt from OSU News Research release written by Jeff Grabmeier, director of research communications, (614) 292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu

A survey analysis conducted by Erik Nisbet and Kelly Garrett, associate professors, communication, finds that survey respondents who relied heavily on Fox News for their information were more likely than casual users to know about and believe false rumors about the New York City mosque. Moreover, respondents who held these false beliefs were not only more likely to oppose the NYC mosque but also more likely to oppose the building of a mosque in their own communities.

The analysis, based on a survey of 750 Americans, asked respondents if they believed any of four false rumors about the NYC mosque. The rumors were chosen because they were all listed as false by FactCheck.org, run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, or PolitiFact, the Pulitzer-prize winning service of the St. Petersburg Times. The study was designed to focus on how differences in exposure and belief in rumors and support for the proposed New York mosque were associated with media use.

Survey participants were all asked to rate how much they relied on various media outlets for their news. They were also asked whether they heard any of the rumors and if they believed in them. The results showed how reliance on specific media sources played a strong role in whether people were exposed to the rumors and if they believed them.

Complete press release: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/mosqueone.htm