It’s a matter of age

Four dimensions of youths’ news consumption

Dados Bibliográficos

ID7477289
AutoresNadine Klopfenstein Frei (0000-0001-5487-4529, Institute of Applied Media Studies (IAM), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Winterthur, Switzerland, autor correspondente), Valery Wy, Valery Wyss (Institute of Applied Media Studies (IAM), ZurichUniversity of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Winterthur, Switzerland), Aleksandra Gnach (0000-0002-9913-1056, Institute for Applied Media Studies (IAM), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Winterthur, Switzerland), W Weber (0000-0001-7612-2336, Institute of Applied Media Studies (IAM), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Winterthur, Switzerland)
Ano2022
Volume25
Fascículo1
Páginas100-121
Data de publicação2022-09-08
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournalism (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1464-8849 • E-ISSN: 1741-3001
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/14648849221123385
OpenAlexW4296114348
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas25
Referências citadas29

News media in Switzerland are confronted with the challenge of not reaching young people, as youth-specific news platforms and formats are not used by the target group. Our study aims to determine how and where young people can be reached with news. It uses a mixed methods approach to analyze the expectations of young people towards news content and formats and to determine their news consumption patterns. The results show that young people’s news consumption is characterized by four dimensions: 1. duration and times of consumption, 2. news consumption habits and behavior, 3. restrictions, 4. media literacy. The significance of these dimensions varies between three age groups determined through the study. The news consumption of the 12-to-14 year-olds is strongly restricted by parents and school. This group consumes news mainly through media available at home. In the group of 15- to-17 year-olds, parental influence and restrictions decrease, while peer influence increases. This age group spends a lot of time on social media platforms where young people stumble upon news rather accidentally. Between 18 and 20 years of age, news consumption stabilizes, and individual patterns emerge. This age group accesses news via selected apps and social media channels. Young people in Switzerland prefer visual formats like pictures, videos, and memes. When scrolling through social media platforms, they come across news content which arouses their interest in certain information and leads them to search for it on media websites. Swiss Youth wants to be informed about relevant news or topics that are “in vogue

Advertising · Age groups · Business · Consumption (sociology · Internet privacy · Media consumption · News media · Scrolling · Social media · Social science · Sociology · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Studies and Communication · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Demography · Social Psychology