This work investigates the extent to which external factors such as the brand or the distribution channel influence the quality perceptions of news users. To this end, a series of 2x2 experiments was conducted (N = 158) in which the participants were asked to rate five news items from the political, health, media, digital and economic sector. The design of the items was manipulated in such a way that four versions of each item were created, which differed in terms of news brand and distribution channel (social media or website of a provider). Subsequently, the participants were confronted with randomly selected versions of the texts and videos. Two methods were used to collect the data: firstly, the generic quality rating of the participants was queried using a seven-level answer scale and secondly, the answers to five sub-questions were combined to form a Likert scale. The participants' ratings were recorded electronically and evaluated using statistical methods. The results of the experiment strongly suggest that both the media brand and the distribution channel influence the normative ratings. Especially the news brand seems to be a significant heuristic for many people. The analysis of the access paths revealed a correlation between media usage habits and the participants' perception of quality.