Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Chapman access only poster or presentation

Publication Date

Spring 5-14-2015

Faculty Advisor(s)

David Shafie

Abstract

The expanding nature of the current news media environment allows news consumers access to countless outlets and forms of news. In this climate, there is a trend toward ‘soft’ news or entertainment-oriented sources, such as political comedy shows, over more traditional forms of ‘hard’ news, like Newspapers. Studies have shown these soft news outlets do contribute to political discourse, and some can help citizens to vote accurately in their best interests, however, there is also evidence to suggest the expanding news environment allows some individuals to ignore politics altogether. Scholars have pointed to different possible motivations for choosing soft news over hard news, but one of the most significant predictors in determining what kind of media a participant consumes has been age. These conclusions lead to the research questions presented in this study: Do generational factors have an impact on a person’s choice to consume soft news over hard news? What connection does this decision to consume soft news have to a person’s sense of civic duty? In order to assess the possible generational nature of this trend toward soft news and its impact on civic duty, questions taken from the American National Election Studies 2012 Time-Series Study will be analyzed.

Comments

Presented at the Spring 2015 Student Research Day at Chapman University.

Access to this poster is restricted to Chapman University students, faculty, staff, and affiliates.

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