Despite the increasingly fractured contemporary information landscape, mainstream news media and journalism
remain largely regarded as factual and trustworthy. This chapter explores the relationship between mainstream
news, and forms of participatory engagement with news evolving on the platform cultures of TikTok.
It examines how mainstream news is enrolled in the circulation of conspiracy theories through close reading
and interpretation of news reporting, especially video footage and images. Although conspiracy theories often
read against normative interpretations of contemporary events, they nonetheless enroll mainstream journalism
as part of their evidence base for these readings. This chapter focuses on TikTok content surrounding the
disappearance—and reappearance—of Catherine, Princess of Wales in early 2024. In their hunt for clues, tells
and proof in news media coverage, these conspiracy theorists have much to tell us about changing perceptions
of truth, the image and journalism.