Crime reporting influences the public regardless of its source (traditional or social media outlets). In this regard, the current research focuses on crime reports in Northern Cyprus, a small society, where individual psychological and social aspects can be influenced by media content. Specifically the effects of media on public trust, presumption of innocence, psychological wellbeing and social support are addressed through a qualitative approach. In this study, a mixed methodology of content and discourse analysis determined the negative coverage of crime through the existence of unethical principles among 507 articles from different media outlets. Furthermore, a thematic network approach was used to analyse semi-structured interviews, in which 38 individuals provided in-depth data about their personal experiences and emotions regarding media publication. Results showed how the influence of media coverage of crime can extend to affect the psychological well-being and social relationships of those individuals involved, particularly concerning anxiety, public trust, and social support. These effects can be further amplified due to the increased stress and anxiety felt among the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing at the time of the interviews. This research can provide a better understanding of media and its influence on trust and support during uncertain times. Hence, both scholars and practitioners can benefit from the current findings.

无论其来源如何（传统媒体或社交媒体渠道），犯罪报告都会影响公众。在这方面，目前的研究重点是北塞浦路斯这个小社会的犯罪报告，那里的个人心理和社会方面可能会受到媒体内容的影响。具体而言，通过定性方法探讨媒体对公众信任、无罪推定、心理健康和社会支持的影响。在这项研究中，内容和话语分析的混合方法通过来自不同媒体的 507 篇文章中是否存在不道德原则来确定对犯罪的负面报道。此外，还使用主题网络方法来分析半结构化访谈，其中 38 人提供了有关媒体出版的个人经历和情绪的深入数据。结果表明，媒体对犯罪的报道的影响如何延伸到相关人员的心理健康和社会关系，特别是在焦虑、公众信任和社会支持方面。由于在 COVID-19 大流行期间公众感受到的压力和焦虑增加（在采访时仍在持续），这些影响可能会进一步放大。这项研究可以更好地了解媒体及其在不确定时期对信任和支持的影响。因此，学者和实践者都可以从当前的研究结果中受益。