No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Abstract
Eight focus groups of 18-to 29-year olds suggest that young adults want more local news, event listings, shorter stories, breakout texts, conversational writing, less inside humor, positive ad experiences and more political news in niche publications geared toward them.
... This transparency might positively influence readers' perceived appropriateness and credibility of native advertising, compared to merely disclosing the aspect of sponsorship without any further motivation (Wei, Fischer, and Main 2008;Ashley and Leonard 2009). A study on adults' perceptions of free news tabloids showed that participants were more tolerating towards advertisements if they realized that without the advertisements, there would also be less editorial content (Zerba 2013). In this case, a so-called implicit social contract between readers, news media and advertisers can be established (Gordon and De Lima-Turner 1997). ...
... In this case, a so-called implicit social contract between readers, news media and advertisers can be established (Gordon and De Lima-Turner 1997). Readers may be more open and understanding towards native advertising when an explicit disclosure helps them to understand that the native advertising revenue funds the news websites, which provides them the benefit of accessing high-quality editorial news for a reduced fee (Gordon and De Lima-Turner 1997;Zerba 2013;Gundlach and Hofmann 2017). We therefore hypothesize the following: ...
As readers often do not recognize the commercial nature of native advertising on news websites, clear disclosures are required to prevent deception. The present study therefore tests whether and how providing disclosures with more detailed information about both the authorship of native ads and the importance of advertising revenue for news media’s business models can increase readers’ recognition and understanding of native advertising. Once readers are aware that they are viewing native advertising, the study assesses whether perceptions of transparency can positively influence readers’ evaluations of the credibility of native advertising, advertisers and news media in general. Results of the online experiment that tested four disclosure types (N = 453) show that, compared to using standard disclosures such as ‘partner content’ and ‘sponsored by [brand]’, providing more detailed disclosures leads to higher perceived sponsorship transparency, which in turn increases credibility of native advertising, advertisers and news media in general.
Purpose
A rising trend has been observed to minimize extraneous cognitive load when reading by enhancing secondary knowledge through technology. For the readers to comprehend information more efficiently in their cognitive architecture, instructional procedures, which are secondary knowledge, should be aligned with the modern technology environment. With continual, rapid technological advances in modern society, people have changed their news reading habits after using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employed a quantitative survey to compare the changes in the news reading habits of the undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students in the Library and Information Management program of a university in Hong Kong after using mobile devices to read electronic news. A total of 102 responses were collected, which comprised 51 UGs and 51 PGs, respectively (the student population for the program was around 100 UGs and 100 PGs).
Findings
Survey results showed that mobile devices had changed the respondents’ habit of reading news to read more content on phones, with a variation on news categories. Such changes included the duration and location of news discussion among the respondents that shorter periods were used to read and that more people read while traveling and in restaurants. Notably, reading the news helped respondents in their learning. Most respondents preferred to read electronic news by using mobile devices. The convenience of reading and discussing news may also cause a potential threat that intensifies disputes, arguments or even bullying on controversial issues.
Originality/value
This study confirmed that the usage of the mobile devices changed the respondents’ habit of reading news. This user group constitutes the future generation of information specialists in various disciplines. This study fills the research gap of finding students’ reading habits when using mobile devices, especially in East Asia. Educators are encouraged to recommend relevant news content to students to improve their general knowledge base and arouse their interest in reading and discussing related news topics.
This experiment tested four storytelling reading methods for young adults. Techniques such as text chunking, adding local datelines and why-you-should-care boxes improved reading experiences. The addition of recent context, background and definitions also raised recall scores.
Free newspapers are a substantial segment of the U.S. newspaper industry, as well as an under-studied topic within media research. This study considers the economic health of free newspapers in the United States and whether they face a dire future given their heavy reliance on advertising, a source of revenue that has been in decline for newspapers. One question guiding this research is whether free newspapers face two options: continue producing free content by relying on advertising (in addition to other revenue sources), or abandon the advertising-based business model. Seven research questions address a number of issues, such as whether free newspapers are profitable, if decision-makers are considering changing their business model, whether they are seeking alternative sources of revenue, whether reader engagement is connected to the price, or a lack of one, of a newspaper, and whether decision-makers are optimistic or pessimistic about the future of their industry. A Web-based survey asked decision-makers at free newspapers in the United States to respond to questions related to the health and future of their newspaper or newspapers. This survey was complemented by in-depth interviews with publishers of four different types of free newspapers in Texas. The study concludes by suggesting free newspapers are not only viable but in many markets they are thriving. Sweeping generalizations (often seen in industry discourse) about the future of print newspapers can be misleading. This study contributes a reality check and calls for further research on the economics of print media in the digital era.
A survey of students at two universities found that young adults expect that five years from now they will get less of their news and information from social networking sites and more from older media, including print newspapers.
When it failed to arrive, Oregon subscribers said they missed local news. But they also described an emotional attachment to their newspapers, which could not be quantified.
Data from a random sample of 185 young adults selected from a major midwestern metropolitan area offers strong evidence to indicate that these individuals (19?34 years of age) have very specific usage and preference patterns when they turn to the daily newspaper. High on their priority list of desired newspaper content are (1) Consumer information (how to shop for the best buys, etc.). (2) How-to-do-it articles, (3) Entertainment advertising, (4) Clothing advertising. (5) Restaurant guides, and (6) grocery advertising; in other words information which they can use in decision making.
While the young adults indicate that they look for information such as this in their daily newspaper, and would like to see more such information included, they have some very specific complaints about the newspaper as a source of such information. They, for example, feel that the newspaper is not providing enough information of relevance to their needs. they also feel that it is biased and apt to ?cover up? stories which they feel should be reported, and that the people who run the newspaper are not paying enough attention to divergent life styles. For this, and other reasons, this age group indicates a decreasing interest in the newspaper due, perhaps in part, to a growing disappointment and apathy toward the perceived unwillingness of the newspaper to attempt to do a better job of providing the type of information they feel is essential to their specific needs.
Based on the findings of this study it is recommended that the advertiser and the media manager take another look at the newspaper product and reassess it in light of its attractiveness to this market segment.