140 likes | 233 Views
Explore the differences between news sharers and non-sharers on Facebook, analyzing preferences, demographics, and motivations for sharing news content on the social media platform. Research focuses on the reasons behind news consumers' decisions to share news material and how it relates to their desire for social connection.
E N D
‘Sharing’ the news on Facebook Amber Hinsley Assistant Professor Samantha Johnson Master’s Student Exploring the differences between news-sharers and non-sharers on the social media site
Research focus • Why do some news consumers choose to share news materials through their social media accounts while others do not? • How are people’s news-sharing decisions tied to their desire to feel connected with others?
Facebook & sharing news • Facebook has 1 billion active users • People are spending more time with news than ever before – Pew “State of the News Media” • Half of social media users who also are online news consumers get daily news items from the people they follow • One-fourth follow news organizations or journalists on social networking sites – Pew “Participatory news consumers”
Motivations for sharing news • Uses & gratifications • Escape/diversion • Relationship maintenance • Personal identity • Surveillance
Research questions • RQ1: What news preference-related differences exist between people who share news links via Facebook and those who do not? • RQ2: What demographic-type differences exist between people who share links stories via Facebook and those who do not? • RQ3: What motivates people to share news links via Facebook?
Online survey • 250 U.S. adults who follow at least one news organization on Facebook • 57% female • 78% had at least some college • Ages 18-74 • Mean: 34.8 years old • 72% Caucasian • Demographics similar to those in Pew studies of social media users
RQ2: Demographic differences • News-sharers: Younger than their non-news sharing counterparts • Non-sharers: More conservative and more likely to be minorities than news-sharers
Take-aways • News-sharers & non-sharers have distinct news preferences • News-sharers & non-sharers are demographically different • News-sharers have to two primary motivations • Maintaining relationships • Helping self & others