Multiplatform news consumption and its connections to civic engagement

Abstract

Studies of informational media use have focused on individual platforms or pitted platforms against each other when investigating their connections to civic engagement. This study offers evidence, collected in a 2016 survey of US adults, of how civically engaged individuals consume various types of news content across multiple platforms. Results suggest that the best condition is the most varied one, wherein consumers get news on all six platforms studied. A breakdown of content categories finds that television viewers and those who pay attention to breaking news and crime are less civically engaged.

News Media Use and Civic Engagement in the Perspective of University Students: Social Capital and Civic Accountability as Mediating Mechanism

“…In addition, previous scholarly studies have also identified social capital as a potential mediating variable between news media and civic engagement (Collins, Neal, & Neal, 2014;Zhong, 2014). To summarize, a critical review of previous studies identified a significant relationship between news media use and civic engagement (Campbell & Kwak, 2010;Cheng, Liang, & Leung, 2015;Hao et al, 2014;Kim, 2007;Molyneux, 2017;Mushtaq & Baig, 2015). It is evident from previous scholarly studies that a significant relationship exists between news media and social capital, and social capital and civic engagement (Jalalani & Shah, 2019;Liu et al, 2014;Putnam, 2000;Warren, Sulaiman, & Jaafar, 2014).…”

“…The results indicated a significant relationship between Facebook use and the civic activities of youth. Likewise, Molyneux (2017) argued that multiplatform news consumption plays a positive role in leading people towards civic engagement. Contrary to previous studies, Zubair and Halim (2017) found no relationship between the new media use and the civic contribution of youth.…”

“…Mass media is considered as the eyes and ears of a society that plays a central role in disseminating information regarding newsworthy events. In the present age, people use multiple platforms to receive up-to-date information about the latest happenings around the globe (Molyneux, 2017). Such information strengthens the social fabric.…”

Students’ civic engagement in Ukraine and Canada: a comparative analysis

“…While some studies have found associations between personality type or personality traits and forms of civic engagement, and there is emerging interest in this area (Dinesen, Norgaard & Klemmensen, 2014). According to Molyneux (2017), "Television viewers and those who pay attention to breaking news and crime are less civically engaged". Banks (2017) describes the schools' role in reducing failed citizenship and helping marginalised groups become efficacious and participatory citizens in multicultural nation-states.…”

We are what we click: Understanding time and content-based habits of online news readers

“…At the same time, time- and content-based patterns of information behaviour remain under-studied despite them being essential for the above-mentioned debates. Time-based reading habits influence the spread of information within the society and determine the amount of information received by the users from the news (Dunaway et al, 2018; Molyneux, 2019). Similarly, content-based reading habits define the composition of individual news repertoires and impact user engagement with the public sphere by informing (or not informing) them about societal matters (Kim, 2016; Molyneux, 2019; Taneja et al, 2012).…”