The News User on Social Media

TLDR

Online trends and platforms rise and fall, prompting media professionals to adopt new distribution modes to engage the elusive online audience. This study examines how Norwegian news media users employ online interactivity across the outlets’ social media presences. Using a comparative analysis of Facebook and Instagram data, the authors assess user interaction patterns. Results show users favor lighter, less demanding interactions—particularly on Instagram, which attracts younger audiences—highlighting implications for news media strategy and future engagement trends.

Abstract

Online trends and platforms come and go, and media professionals have historically shown a keen interest in adopting novel modes of content distribution in order to capture the interest of the elusive online audience. This paper provides insights into the employment of online interactivity by news media users in relation to the social media presences of a selection of Norwegian media outlets. Adopting a comparative approach, the study features analysis of data from online mainstay Facebook and from the comparably novel Instagram platform. Among other things, results suggest that the previously noted tendency for audience members to prefer “lighter” or less-demanding modes of interaction with online news content is further strengthened—especially on the latter of the two studied platforms. Given that Instagram tends to attract comparably younger users, the implications for the news media industries as well as for future trends regarding audience interaction in relation to news are discussed.