Impact on mood and lack of trust are key reasons some Kiwis avoid the news, according to a new study.
The survey of over 1200 New Zealanders found 60% avoid the news at least sometimes, and high rates of ‘consistent news avoiders’. Gender, ethnicity, age, and political ideology were linked to respondents’ reasons for news avoidance.
The Science Media Centre asked the authors and third-party experts to comment.
Dr Alex Beattie, Lecturer in Media and Communication, Victoria University of Wellington, and lead author of this research, comments:
“Our study confirms that New Zealand has one of the highest reported rates of news avoidance in the world. We found that 60% of our survey participants reported that they either ‘sometimes’, ‘often’, or ‘almost always’ avoid the news. This figure is higher than any other national figure reported in other studies, with Greece and Bulgaria being the next highest at 57%.
“The major reason driving news avoidance appears to be the negative effect that news has on mood. Women and people with far-left or far-right political beliefs were more likely to select this reason than men or those with centrist views. Additionally, people with right-wing beliefs were more likely to report avoiding the news due to perceptions of untrustworthiness or bias. Younger people (18–24-year-olds) were more likely to cite not having the time as a reason for avoiding the news.
“There is a lot more to discover about why news avoidance is so high in Aotearoa New Zealand compared to other countries. We suspect there is not one single reason but a combination of factors. Some New Zealand audiences are frustrated with the quality of news media, while others are turned off by negative news stories. Other possible reasons include our geographical remoteness or sense of distance from world news, and a lack of diverse representation in the news.
“Perhaps most significantly, there is immense commercial pressure on our news industry to retain its audiences. New Zealand media’s use of clickbait and alarming headlines to engage their audiences may ironically be driving them away in the competitive attention economy.
“Our news media and journalists provide an essential service to Aotearoa. Their role of holding the Government to account and covering crises or divisive issues can be an unpopular and thankless task. Despite this, we expect our news media to compete with information giants like Facebook and Google, which do not employ any reporters or recognize their responsibility in disseminating news. This creates an impossible commercial environment for traditional media.
“Our demographic findings also highlight the difficulty of satisfying an increasingly polarized news audience. With diverse groups perceiving bias and untrustworthiness differently, it’s nearly impossible to keep everyone happy. Instead of scapegoating the media for high news avoidance rates, we should see this as an opportunity to support and strengthen an essential service. Our journalists are tasked with the crucial job of informing the public, a role that is fundamental to the health of our democracy.
“Our high rates of news avoidance in New Zealand underscore the urgent need for a Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill to support our essential news industry. By ensuring fair compensation and support for our media, we can help them continue to provide the high-quality journalism that is vital for an informed and engaged society, and ultimately combat news avoidance.”
Conflict of interest statement: Dr Beattie is lead author of this research.
Dr Ethan Plaut, Senior Lecturer in Communication and Technology, University of Auckland, comments:
“New Zealand journalists don’t broadcast on the “24-hour” news cycle of larger markets, but the endless churn of media reaches us from all over the world, at all hours of the day and night. People didn’t have to avoid the news when it was a once- or twice-daily ritual of morning paper and evening broadcast. We’re learning to avoid news precisely because it’s becoming unavoidable, mixed up in the endless feeds of entertainment, misinformation, pictures of your family, ads, and more ads.
“In recent months, this problem has been exacerbated by an American style of political communication becoming more common in New Zealand. This is the Trumpian strategy, sometimes called “flooding the zone,” of overwhelming both journalists and citizens with incessant provocation and distraction, breaking so many things so quickly, and so loudly, that nobody can figure out what’s most important. By the time anybody musters a thoughtful argument about whatever was announced yesterday, the news cycle has already moved on.
“Until recently, I found myself avoiding the chaos of US and international news by reading New Zealand news instead, which felt like a healthy change of pace. It no longer feels that way.”
No conflicts of interest.
Dr Helen Sissons, Associate Professor, Communication Studies and Journalism, AUT, comments:
“People may avoid news that challenges their beliefs or makes them uncomfortable. Someone skeptical of climate change might ignore a well-researched, factual story on the topic, dismissing it as false and turning to other sources for information. And unlike in the past when people had fewer media options, there are now many alternatives. These people may still be consuming plenty of news, but it’s not necessarily balanced or varied.
“Having said that, mainstream news is still hugely important and shouldn’t itself engage in news avoidance, avoiding the difficult or controversial. The challenge is to consider how to break down complex, perhaps dry issues into digestible, appealing formats. Ensuring the stories they present are not only accurate (getting things wrong really damages audience trust) but also engaging.”
No conflicts of interest.