Emerging consumption patterns among young people of traditional and internet news platforms in the Low Countries

In search of a better understanding of young people’s news media consumption in a European high-media environment, this study analysed the role of uses and gratifications motivations in driving time spent with television news, newspapers, and online news sites, while controlling for the effects of possible influential socio-demographics. Our findings confirmed that the need to get information about the world or one’s environment is the strongest uses and gratifications predictor for time spent on television news, newspapers, and online news sites. Nevertheless, young people’s news consumption is also driven by ‘diversion’ needs. Especially television news, which young people also watch to escape from the daily routine or to be entertained. One of the conclusions we can draw from these results is that traditional and online news platforms, although serving some needs that are mutually exclusive, overall are being consulted in search of the same gratifications, respectively information/surveillance and diversion gratifications. Nevertheless, the use of online news was not found to diminish the use of traditional news platforms. On the contrary, we found that the use of television news enhanced the use of online news and vice versa. These findings confirm young people’s complementary use of traditional and online news platforms.