Var läste du det? - En kvalitativ studie om nyhetsanvändning på sociala medier

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate why people use social media to consume news. Through in-depth interviews with five different groups consisting of people in the same life situations, the group’s consuming of news on social media is examined in different contexts, as well as similarities and differences between the different groups.

Method: Qualitative in-depth interviews with five different groups consisting of people in the same life situation.

Procedure: Five interviews with groups containing people in the same life situation, were transcribed and analyzed using Marc Prensky’s perspective and the theory of uses and gratification. The study builds on the core concepts motivation,​ ​situation​, ​individual​ and ​structure​, which are linked to uses and gratification.

Results: The results of the study shows that the younger audience tend to use social media for consuming news to a greater extent than the older audience. Also, the older audience seem to be more sensitive in terms of “screen time”. On the contrary, the younger interviewees turned out to use their phones and social media for the majority of their consumption of news. What turned out to be the main reason to active use of social media was, among other things, interests and life situation. However, the use of news on social media is more passive than it is active. The analysis shows that news consuming on social media allways can be explained by the four core concepts of uses and gratification.