Keywords

1 Introduction

In our contemporary, diverse, media-rich landscape, consumers employ a variety of avenues in order to acquire information, including conventional media outlets as well as news platforms and social networking sites, as demonstrated in the research carried out by Vermeer [1]. Furthermore, news agencies are faced with an additional challenge: they need to engage with prospective audiences and viewers who are new to them as well as with numerous media enterprises, all of which are embracing the social media platforms as a novel means of cultivating relations and interactions with their target audiences. Moreover, it is worth noting that a significant proportion of the channels which disseminate information, are characterized by content streams based on algorithms facilitated and curated by other, third-party providers and platforms [2]. Therefore, it is clear that the landscape of social media and news usage is not only multi-faceted, but it may also present the end-user with a number of choices. The ways in which audiences choose to make use of these digital tools requires further detailed investigation.

The apparent expedited rate at which news and information is generated and transmitted in today’s world has its basis in the rapid progression towards a media sphere that is fully digitalized by the news corporations. As a consequence, individuals increasingly find themselves overburdened—even overwhelmed—at the volume of information and news that they are being exposed to. In a clear “supply and demand” type of dynamic, it appears that the quantity and volume of news stories that people are exposed to far exceeds their cognitive processing capabilities. People not only have a sense of having been bombarded and inundated with the news [3], but it also seems that the task of remaining adequately informed and knowledgeable, has become too strenuous: it is a real challenge to remain well-informed in an era characterized by surplus news. As evidenced by Newman [4], this overwhelming sense of “too much information” may sometimes yield undesirable results, and, in particular, a propensity for complete disengagement from the activity of consuming and interacting with news stories. The consumer here is often at a loss as to how to manage the amount of information that is being thrust towards him or her, the end result being a used who might feel overpowered and negative about the process.

Given the present context as described so far, the pivotal strategic challenge that is crucial for the continued viability of the global news industry would be the examination of the variables that could potentially influence the sustainability and effectiveness of digital products on a global level [5, 6]. Media executives will by definition be required to reassess their marketing and promotional approaches as well as the methods for disseminating the content made available through the media. Additionally, the concept of achieving autonomy from intermediaries around the web will also be added to the challenges that managers can expect to be faced with in this new paradigm [7]. The part that ‘findability’ can play in this context is something that numerous studies [8] have focused on, with the outcomes of these studies contributing to the enhancement of the online visibility of digital media [9]. Techniques such as social media and search engine optimization (SEO) as well as other techniques related to software and data analysis, including artificial intelligence, all serve to increase the ‘findability’ of a source. This could work through the employment of algorithms that will increase and enhance findability—for instance going through a process of link, recommendation and research. Media content availability and findability is clearly enhanced when utilizing such techniques, nevertheless it remains crucially important that the results of the searches are not only easy to arrive at, but also that their pertinence to the end-user is ensured [10].

Therefore, it is imperative that we begin to recognize how the social media can be seen as a tool which carries considerable power. The fact that they offer a platform which is easily accessible to all, adds to the complexity of the issues that we need to consider, including the ways in which we should facilitate their strategic integration. The adaptive behavior of the social media that enables media firms to strategically resist and endure the pressures associated with the very emergence of social media and effectively include them in their new ventures in order to gain competitive advantage holds significant importance. As Masele and Joseph [11] have argued, given the pervasive nature of the social media platforms, it is clear that they facilitate a very broad sense of access to current affairs and news stories, thereby allowing media companies to capitalize on their competitive advantages. As emphasized by the aforementioned study, additional work should be done looking into this particular field of study. Such research is required in order to comprehensively investigate the success criteria which might lead to a competitive digital “newsroom”, firmly ensconced within the realm of social media.

The primary aim of this study is to endeavor to investigate the choices and inclinations of the current digital news viewers and users, whilst also making reference to the relevant and numerous social platforms. The research is also concerned with “influencers” and with their utilization, whilst attempting to discern potential differences in usage based on the age demographic of users.

2 Literature Review

Media and news outlets—including larger news organizations—have historically been considered the custodians of news dissemination, and have been seen as having the power to exercise control over and regulate the selection of information channels that are made accessible to the general populace. Nevertheless, in today’s intricate media landscape, users are exposed to a large number of digital information sources, including news websites as well as social media platforms, as evidenced by Vermeer et al. [1]. The accessibility to certain information streams, notably social media, is clearly primarily governed by algorithms as well as the institutions that support them. These notably large-scale entities which underpin the algorithms within social media, are exemplified by global corporations, like Meta and Google, as discussed by Diakopoulos [12]. It is noteworthy that trust in the media also fosters a heightened sense of exposure as well as a feeling of assimilation and acceptance of the information provided [13], whereas actually paying attention emerges as a significant—pivotal even—element with the potential to impact and shape information processing [2].

It has always been the aim of executives who find themselves in a newsroom, to endeavor to enhance the loyalty of their audiences—and obviously also retain that loyalty—through diverse avenues and channels. The target groups must be reached, their attention caught and their retention ensured [14]. Numerous media companies, including giant news organizations have recognized the power of social media and have already ventured into that realm, clearly recognizing its power to collect news stories, to interact and engage with an audience to disseminate journalistic content and to distribute news. Looney [15] illustrates the ways in which the BBC encourages the participation of its viewers more directly in the journalistic content utilizing web forums, blogs, comments, exchanges of opinion in the form of debates as well as the inclusion of comments into its website article  pages. This trend is also corroborated by other researchers all of whom make a point of noting that journalists and media experts in European countries are clearly becoming more involved with social media, thus seeking to identify ways of connecting with diverse audiences [11].

In today’s society, smartphones are in constant use. Individuals frequently utilize their devices because they display a versatility in usage, offering a wide range of opportunities for engagement, whether it be breaking news or news updates, gaming activities, perusing social media platforms, checking and responding to notifications, watching video content. There are constant opportunities to take a “short break” and engage in what Hepp [16] has termed the “media-life integration”, an integration which exemplifies a clearly emerging trend and establishes a deeper and continuous—perhaps even more intimate—connection between social media and consumer. This “integration” clearly underscores the necessity—imperative even—for the media entities to comprehend the nuanced and multifaceted ways in which consumers incorporate media content and products in their daily routines—and all this as matter of urgency. As Olmsted and Kim [17] have pointed out, this transformative shift in media consumption by the general population emphasizes the paramount significance of value that is derived from their media interactions.

For organizations, it is clear that consumer engagement with their media content is considered an ideal state, one that is clearly desirable as it can be regarded as representing an advantageous market position. The term “media engagement” denotes the level and extent of interaction or active participation that consumers display, whether individually or as members of larger groups. This participation could take the form of engaging with content on a platform or on other media channels. The spectrum of activities within this scope is varied and could range from a mere passive consumption of media to more active forms of participation, including commenting, sharing information or even generating original content. It is the consumer’s behavioral commitment to actively engage with a specific brand’s media outlets and forums, home pages and any relevant social media content that helps us concretize the concept of “media engagement”. We delineate and define this concept as a very specific and distinctive facet of consumer engagement, relating it specifically to the brand and its media outlets [18]. When thinking of this from the perspective of the actual users, the recognition of and association with well-established brand names, with prominent individuals, such as celebrities and influencers, as well as with figures who are known and respected for their work (e.g. certain journalists), clearly functions as a way of providing information services. These are all avenues—entry points possibly—for information retrieval and they act as a mechanism for assessing and evaluating the relevance of information sources and results [10].

The direct influence and role of age pertaining to consumer behavior, is an often-overlooked avenue of enquiry—one which would potentially assist researchers in gaining deeper insights into this subject. This facet of consumer behavior takes on particular significance within the context of online media organizations given the close association between the age of the consumers and the ongoing paradigm shift of digital transformation [18]. Furthermore, it is evident that the demand patterns exhibited by older digital users clearly diverge from those of the younger counterparts [10], thus rendering the variable of age an excellent point from which to begin to research into the contingent and inherent disparities within consumer behavior. While past studies [19, 20], have illustrated a general tendency for younger users showing that they are well-versed in the digital world and navigate digital issues with great ease, there clearly still is a pressing amount of research to be carried out—work that needs to be undertaken investigating and examining specifically age-related distinctions in this field. Thus, there is the need to incorporate age-specific considerations and place these prominently within the research, combining both detailed and finer points on the context of digital media and the distinctions pertaining to particular age groups [18]. This research aims to fill this gap.

3 Methodology

The field research took place in December 2022 and January 2023. Data were drawn from Greece. The questionnaire that was formed especially for this research based on prior studies and in-depth interviews. The questionnaire was distributed online and the sampling procedure consisted of a combination of methods (criteria, convenience and snowball sampling) and a non-probability sampling method was used [21]. The criterion to participate in the current research was that the individual uses online news media. An invitation was sent to acquaintances via Facebook or email to participate in the research. Participants were consequently asked to forward the link to their acquaintances that could possibly participate in the research. A total 305 valid questionnaires were collected. All answers rated on a 5-point Likert type scale (1 = not at all; 5 = very much). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and Anova.

4 Sample Profile

The sample consisted of 305 individuals, of which female individuals were slightly overrepresented (59.3%) compared to males (40.7%). Moreover, 42.6% of the respondents were in the age group of 18–25 years old; 16.4% of the respondents belong in the age group of 26–35 years old and 14.4% were 36–45 years old. Finally, 26.6% of the respondents are 46 years old and over. The majority of the respondents were residents of urban areas (86.9%) and a smaller percentage of the respondents (13.1%) are residents of rural areas.

5 Results and Hypothesis Testing

In order to examine whether there are differences between age groups and social media preferences regarding news information, the hypothesis is defined as:

Hypothesis 1 (H1). There are differences between age groups and users’ social media preferences regarding news information. This hypothesis is presented statistically as follows: Hypothesis 1a (H1a). There are no statistically significant differences between age groups and users’ social media preferences regarding news information (a = 0.05).

Hypothesis 1b (H1b). There are statistically significant differences between age groups and users’ social media preferences regarding news information. (a = 0.05). The hypothesis was divided into four sub-hypotheses one for each social medium examined (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube). One-Way Anova test was used to test the hypotheses and the outcome showed that there are significant differences only in the cases of Instagram (p = 0.05) and You Tube (p = 0.004). No significant differences were found in the cases of Facebook and Twitter. Consequently, in order to examine whether there are differences between age groups and the preference regarding the collaboration of digital news media with influencers, the hypothesis is defined as: Hypothesis  2 (H2). There are differences between age groups in terms of the collaboration of digital news media with influencers. This hypothesis is presented statistically as follows:

Hypothesis  2a (H2a). There are no statistically significant differences between age groups in terms of the collaboration of digital news media with influencers (a = 0.05).

Hypothesis  2b (H2b). There are statistically significant differences between age groups in terms of the collaboration of digital news media with influencers (a = 0.05). The Anova results revealed that there are significant differences (p = 0.000) between age groups.

6 Discussion and Concluding Remarks

The results of the study contribute to the need for the advancement of the knowledge regarding the promotion of online news media [11, 22], and indicate that there are differences in the preferences of users according to their age. In this context the study is aligned with prior research [18, 19] that also revealed age differences related to digital media use and engagement. The findings of the research indicated that as far as reading the news from social media, individuals who belong to the age group of 18–25 years old prefer more to read the news from Instagram and You Tube. Furthermore, as far as respondents’ opinions on whether a digital news media should collaborate with an opinion leader/influencer, results indicated statistical significant differences between age groups. Again, younger individuals who belong to the age group of 18–25 years old have the strongest preference regarding such initiative.

Significant implications, both at a theoretical and practical level are evident in this work. On a theoretical level, it contributes to the existing literature by adding new information on the current topic of the promotion of digital news media [11, 18, 22]. Practically, digital news media organizations’ marketing managers and publishers of are equipped with more in -depth information pertaining budget allocations as well as relevant improvements in order to increase their business acumen and success in an integrated multi- media platform and content environment [22]

Several limitations may be discernible within this work, and, as ever, these potential weaknesses present promising avenues for future investigations. The utilization of a non-probability approach in sampling clearly limits the ways in which the findings can be extrapolated beyond this study’s particular context and can be considered to be a notable constraint for the research. The researchers’ primary focus on the Greek demographic could also be expanded beyond this narrow context. To enhance the robustness of further research outcomes, any future work should adopt a probability sampling method which would potentially encompass a wider perspective from media consumers across different geographical locations or even regions. Despite the limitations described here, this research’s contributions are substantial to our field of study, having identified and determined the concept of preferences exhibited in distinct age groups with regard to social media usage and engagement as tools that can promote a digital news media. The role of influencers and brands in the choice of digital news platforms is also displayed and this is certainly a field that warrants further in-depth investigation. Consequently, this research delivers critical insights into an increasingly relevant and significant topic for study—one which yields great potential for further work on the issue of digital news media.