Reporters of the future: news consumption among journalism students
in Portugal
Reporteros del futuro: consumo de noticias entre estudiantes de periodismo en
Portugal
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nº 40, pp. 305-319
| 305
January-June of 2025
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
How to cite this article:
Canavilhas, J. and Di Fátima, B. (2025). Reporters of the future: news consumption among journalism students in Portugal.
Doxa Comunicación
,
40, pp. 305-319.
https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n40a2392
João Canavilhas.
PhD in Communication, Culture and Education (USAL – Universidad de Salamanca/Spain). Full
Professor at the University of Beira Interior (Covilhã – Portugal) and researcher at LabCom – Communication and Arts.
Between September 2013 and June 2021, he was vice-rector for Teaching and Internationalization (UBI). He is research
projects consultant in Spain, Brazil and UE. His research work focuses on various aspects of Communication and new
technologies, particularly in the links between journalism and the Internet, portable devices, and articial intelligence.
Universidade da Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal
[email protected]
ORCID:
0000-0002-2394-5264
Branco Di Fátima.
PhD in Communication Sciences from the University Institute of Lisbon (Iscte), he is a contracted
researcher at LabCom – University of Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal. He has published more than a hundred scientic
papers and has been part of the teams of 11 research projects funded by national and international organizations. His
research interests include the analysis of the pathologies and dysfunctions of democracy, journalism studies, online
hate speech, and social network analysis.
Universidade da Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal
[email protected]
ORCID:
0000-0001-6981-7228
is content is published under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License. International License CC BY-NC 4.0
Received: 15/04/2024 - Accepted: 24/09/2024 - Early access: 08/10/2024 - Published: 01/01/2025
Recibido: 15/04/2024 - Aceptado: 24/09/2024 - En edición: 08/10/2024 - Publicado: 01/01/2025
Abstract:
Understanding journalism students’ perceptions of their news
consumption is fundamental for dening media strategy and new
professional proles. erefore, the purpose of this research is to
analyse the relationship between Portuguese journalism students
and news. To achieve this goal, an online survey was conducted.
e analysed database comprises 449 responses from students
representing all regions of the country. is dataset constitutes
the largest and most diverse national sample to date for analysing
Resumen:
Comprender la percepción que tienen los estudiantes de periodismo so
-
bre su consumo de noticias es fundamental para denir la estrategia de
los medios de comunicación y los nuevos perles profesionales. Así, el
propósito de esta investigación es analizar la relación de los estudiantes
portugueses de periodismo con las noticias. Para alcanzar este objetivo,
se llevó a cabo una encuesta por cuestionario en línea. La base de datos
analizada comprende 449 respuestas de estudiantes de todas las regiones
del país. Estos datos constituyen la muestra nacional más grande y diver
-
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ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
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this research topic in Portugal. e ndings indicate that most
respondents do not read printed newspapers and magazines, instead
preferring to obtain information via traditional media websites,
digital platforms, and social media. While the frequency of reading
starts o relatively low, there is an observed increase as students
advance through their journalism courses. For these young people,
the consumption of news is primarily centred on digital platforms,
with television being the last traditional medium to have a signicant
impact.
Keywords:
Journalism education; news consumption; professional proles;
traditional media; university students.
sa hasta la fecha para analizar este tema de investigación en Portugal.
Los resultados revelan que la mayoría de los encuestados no lee periódi
-
cos ni revistas impresos, preriendo informarse mediante páginas web
de medios tradicionales, nativos digitales y redes sociales. Aunque la fre
-
cuencia de lectura sea muy baja, se observa un aumento a medida que
los estudiantes avanzan en los años de su curso de periodismo. Para estos
jóvenes, el consumo de información noticiosa se basa principalmente en
plataformas digitales, siendo la televisión el último medio tradicional
que aún tiene un impacto signicativo en su dieta mediática.
Palabras clave:
Enseñanza del periodismo; consumo de noticias; perfiles
profesionales; medios tradicionales; estudiantado universitario.
1. Introduction
e internet and mobile devices have revolutionized news consumption with the most signicant shift occurring among
young people, particularly Generation Z (Artero et al., 2020). ese young individuals primarily consume information through
smartphones, enabling them to access content on the go, especially on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X
(formerly Twitter).
Comprehending student journalists’ perspectives on their news consumption is crucial for formulating eective media
strategies and identifying emerging professional roles. ese students embody the generation that will soon join newsrooms
to cover a diverse range of events shaping community life, viewing themselves as essential pillars of democratic societies
(Berganza et al., 2017). Consequently, this research aims to investigate the relationship between these Portuguese students
and news.
To achieve this objective, an online questionnaire survey was conducted. e questions were adapted from existing research,
considering various international contexts (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021; Vartanova et al., 2019; Hanusch et al., 2015). e
analysed sample comprises 449 student responses from the 18 mainland districts and the 2 autonomous regions of Portugal.
is represents the largest and most diverse sample to date studying the relationship between journalism students and news
in the country.
1.1. Journalism students, news and professional proles
e massication of Internet access and networked mobile devices has completely transformed the way in which news is
consumed. Over the years, reports published by the Reuters Institute (2023, 2022, 2021), in conjunction with older studies
(Pew Research Center, 2015, 2012), have shown that all age groups have changed their media consumption patterns. ere is
now a trend towards accessing more information online, either through digital versions of traditional media or on the websites
of digital native media (Canavilhas, 2023).
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e most notable shift in information consumption has occurred among young people, particularly Generation Z, born between
2005 and 2015. is generation has changed their preference away from traditional media (Artero et al., 2020; Boczkowski et
al., 2018) and towards what is known as ‘new media’ (Levinson, 2014). To this end, they combine screens in their media diet
and have a high consumption on mobile devices. erefore, they can be considered hyper-connected due to the prolonged
time they spend online (Casas-Mas and Homont, 2024).
For these young people, information consumption is mostly done through smartphones, devices that merge old and new
media in one device (Antunovic, 2018; Cardoso, 2013). is allows them to access information while on the move (Zerba, 2011)
and in a variety of contexts (Peters, 2012), especially on social media (Canavilhas, 2023), which are one of the preferred spaces
for this age group (Yanardağoğlu, 2021; Espinar-Ruiz et al., 2020; Tandoc Jr., 2014).
When it comes to the consumption of journalistic information, studies focusing on Generation Z often present divergent
conclusions. While some researchers argue that young people maintain a genuine interest in and value journalistic information
(Casero-Ripollés, 2012), others argue that their consumption is occasional (Boczkowski et al., 2018) or impulsive (Silveira and
Amaral, 2018), suggesting that it does not stem from an interest that motivates an active search for information.
However, it is crucial to bear in mind that young people, even those who are journalism students, are not a uniform social
group. eir reactions to news consumption may dier depending on the socio-demographic environment in which they are
embedded (Casas-Mas and Homont, 2024; Santos-Sainz, 2013).
Most studies on the prole of future journalists and their competences focus on technological and digital change, the
modication of newsroom structures and the adaptation of training to emerging proles (Sánchez-García et al., 2019).
Meanwhile, the relationship between journalism students and news can reveal important clues for dening media strategy and
new professional proles. ese students represent the generation that in the coming years will be integrated into newsrooms
to report on a broad spectrum of events that shape community life, perceiving themselves as a pillar of democratic states
(Berganza et al., 2017).
1.2. News consumption, mobile devices and social media
In a study conducted with 252 journalism students in Spain, Tejedor et al. (2021) found that 90.0% consume news through
social media platforms to access information: Facebook and Instagram were the most popular. On the other hand, 67.0% of
participants also indicated a preference for traditional and digital media news websites.
e Covid-19 pandemic has also had an undeniable impact on information consumption, especially among young people,
who experienced a marked increase in online information seeking (Casero-Ripollés, 2020). During the most dicult period
of connement, social media played a crucial role as platforms for obtaining information (Di Fátima et al., 2024; Tejedor et
al., 2021). According to the Reuters Institute (2020), surveys conducted before and during the pandemic reveal a ‘signicant
increase’ in news viewing, with more people identifying television as their primary source. is behaviour aligns with previous
studies showing increased interest in information during times of uncertainty (Chadwick, 2013).
In other research conducted in Spain, with the participation of 168 university students in the areas of social sciences and
communication, Espinar-Ruiz et al. (2020) concluded that this group primarily accesses information through mobile devices
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and considers the Internet as their main source of news. Once again, young people highlighted the signicant use of social
media. Another interesting fact is that television continues to be a preference among students, demonstrating that there is
currently a consumption that combines content from dierent media.
Journalism students in Chile also show a preference for obtaining information through social media (69.6%). is is followed
by a preference for digital media with 64.4%, television with 41.8%, radio with 20.9% and, in last place, printed newspapers with
19.1% (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021). An additional study carried out in the same country corroborates this trend, pointing to
the prominence of social media (47.7%) and online press (46.9%) against the residual values of television, radio and printed
newspapers (Sibrian Díaz et al., 2020).
An older study, involving 400 journalism students in Brazil, already anticipated a trend that has been consolidated today
(Schwingel et al., 2005). In that period, although television led daily news consumption, with 81.0% preference, the Internet was
already a solid second place (68.0%). Subsequently, young people showed a preference for radio (64.0%), printed newspapers
(41.0%) and magazines (20.0%).
In a more recent study in the same Latin American country, which involved only 44 journalism students, the trend was
further conrmed (Viana et al., 2017). Although in this case there was no subdivision of the content consumed, the Internet is
positioned as the most used medium, with 81.8%, followed by television (13.6%), the press (9.1%) and radio (6.8%).
Both journalism students and other young people of their generation nd the Internet and its networks to be the main source
of information (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021; Tejedor et al., 2021). erefore, the choice to study journalism does not seem to
have a signicant inuence on their information consumption habits or their media diet. Consequently, studies on both young
people in general and journalism students show very similar ndings in dierent countries (Yanardağoğlu, 2021; Artero et al.,
2020; Vartanova et al., 2019; Viana et al., 2017; Hanusch et al., 2015; Rosengard et al., 2014).
2. Methods and data
e aim of this study is to analyse the relationship of Portuguese journalism students with news. To meet this objective, an
online questionnaire survey was conducted using the Google Forms platform. e questions were developed from previous
studies, considering contexts as diverse as Russia and Australia (Vartanova et al., 2019; Hanusch et al., 2015), Chile and the
United States (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021; Tandoc Jr., 2014) or Spain and Brazil (Tejedor et al., 2021; Schwingel et al., 2005).
is approach ensures the scientic reproducibility of the study, allowing it to be used by other researchers in similar contexts
(Morse, 2010).
Twenty questions were formulated to identify students’ relationship with information content, social media platforms and
media in general (press, radio, television, Internet). e questions were closed-ended, open-ended, and semi-open-ended,
with simple, scaled and multiple-choice answers (Bordens and Abbott, 2011). e primary data allow us to analyse a little-
known universe in Portugal and with an observation tool created to respond to the stated objective.
e link to the questionnaire was sent by email to the coordinators of 10 journalism university courses and their respective
teachers, with the request that they distribute it to their students. is online questionnaire was available from 22 September
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2022 until 15 March 2023. e intention was that this extended period, which covered a total period of 174 days, could increase
the number of responses from such a specic group of young people. e data collected is anonymous and aggregated, so the
authors of the responses cannot be identied. e data were processed and analysed with the statistical software SPSS 27.0.
e sample has 449 responses from students from the 18 continental districts and the 2 autonomous regions of Portugal.
e geographical distribution is as follows: Norte (37.0%), Centro (28.1%), Lisboa (16.9%), Alentejo (12.2%), Algarve (2.2%),
Madeira (2.2%) and Açores (1.3%). To create a national portrait, the cities of Lisboa and Porto account for just over a third of
the sample.
e majority of respondents were in the 18-24 age group and were enrolled in the various years of undergraduate (94.7%)
and master’s (5.3%) studies in 10 of the main educational institutions in the country: Escola Superior de Comunicação Social,
Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Instituto Politécnico de
Viseu, Universidade da Beira Interior, Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Universidade
do Minho and Universidade do Porto.
is data constitutes the largest and most diverse national sample so far to analyse the relationship between journalism
students and news in Portugal. is does not allow a statistical generalisation of the results at a global level, but this plays an
important role in pointing to empirical evidence in an area still little explored both nationally and internationally.
3. Results
A detailed analysis of an audience’s media diet can consider both the content, and the platforms used for its consumption.
Figure 1 presents the main news source of these Portuguese journalism students, based on a question with closed options.
us, only one hypothesis could be chosen, reecting the importance attributed by the sample.
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Figure 1. Main news source of the sample (%)
pointing to empirical evidence in an area still little explored both nationally and
internationally.
3. Results
A detailed analysis of an audience's media diet can consider both the
content,
and the
platforms used for its consumption. Figure 1 presents the main news source of these
Portuguese journalism students, based on a question with closed options. Thus, only one
hypothesis could be chosen, reflecting the importance attributed by the sam
ple.
Figure 1. Main news source of the sample (%)
Source: created by the authors
The sample is strongly influenced by the consumption of news through the Internet and
its various platforms. However, many of these individuals still maintain traditional media.
Respondents'
favourite
news sources are almost evenly matched in first place, with 33.6%
preference for news websites and 31.6% for social media, such as Instagram, TikTok or
X (ex
-
Twitter). TV stations are in third place with 28.3%, ahead of print newspaper Apps
(4.5%). In last place, traditional radio stations, print newspapers and TV stations' Apps
have 0.7% each. These results, mainly from radio, do not
consider
the consumption of
podcasts
-
a growing format in the country.
The grouped results allow us to state that 70.4% of the news consumption of the sample
is based on some online activity (platforms, websites,
a
pps and social
media
). On the
other hand, traditional media have 29.6% of the preferences as the main source of news,
thanks to the good performance of television channels in Portugal. It does not seem that
the periods of the day have a preponderant influence in this division either (Table 1).
However, in some cases, traditional media are on a par with new media.
Table
1. Frequency of news consumption (%)
Morning
Afternoon
Night
Always
8,9
5,6
6,2
Often
25,8
29,8
41,9
Sometimes
33,0
38,8
29,0
Rarely
22,3
18,0
1,1
Source: created by the authors
e sample is strongly inuenced by the consumption of news through the Internet and its various platforms. However, many
of these individuals still maintain traditional media. Respondents’ favourite news sources are almost evenly matched in rst
place, with 33.6% preference for news websites and 31.6% for social media, such as Instagram, TikTok or X (ex-Twitter). TV
stations are in third place with 28.3%, ahead of print newspaper Apps (4.5%). In last place, traditional radio stations, print
newspapers and TV stations’ Apps have 0.7% each. ese results, mainly from radio, do not consider the consumption of
podcasts - a growing format in the country.
e grouped results allow us to state that 70.4% of the news consumption of the sample is based on some online activity
(platforms, websites, apps and social media). On the other hand, traditional media have 29.6% of the preferences as the main
source of news, thanks to the good performance of television channels in Portugal. It does not seem that the periods of the day
have a preponderant inuence in this division either (Table 1). However, in some cases, traditional media are on a par with
new media.
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Table 1. Frequency of news consumption (%)
MorningAfternoonNight
Always8,95,66,2
Often25,829,841,9
Sometimes33,038,829,0
Rarely22,318,01,1
Never7,13,618,9
NR2,94,22,9
Source: created by the authors
ere does not seem to be a favoured period for all respondents, which reinforces the argument that Portuguese journalism
students are not a very homogeneous social group. For example, in the category ‘always’, none of the hours of the day received
more than 9.0% of the preferences. On average, the categories ‘often’ and ‘sometimes’ obtained the highest ratings, with about
one third each.
e most divergent data are recorded in the evening. At this period, 41.9% say that they consume news ‘often’. is consumption
is characterised by a diet that combines dierent platforms and screens. Social media are the main source of news (32.4%),
followed by television (31.4%) and the online press (30.8%).
In this scenario, it is feasible that consumption occurs concurrently or simultaneously, with activities on one platform
inuencing the others. Other information channels account for less than 6.0% in total, with print newspapers in the last
position of evening preferences (1.1%). Figure 2 reects this decline of the print press, with data on its regular consumption
among future reporters.
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Figure 2. Students who read print media (%)
Never
7,1
3,6
18,9
NR
2,9
4,2
2,9
Source: created by the authors
There does not seem to be a favoured period for all respondents, which reinforces the
argument that Portuguese journalism students are not a very homogeneous social group.
For example, in the category ‘always’, none of the hours of the day received more than
9.0% of the preferences. On average, the categories ‘
often
’ and ‘sometimes’ obtained the
highest ratings, with about one third each.
The most divergent data are recorded in the evening. At this
period
, 41.9% say that they
consume news ‘
often
’. This consumption is characterised by a diet that combines
different platforms and screens. Social
media
are the main source of news (32.4%),
followed by television (31.4%) and the online press (30.8%).
In this scenario, it is feasible that consumption occurs concurrently or simultaneously,
with activities on one platform influencing the others. Other information channels account
for less than 6.0% in total, with print newspapers in the last position of evening
preferences (1.1%). Figure 2 reflects this decline of the print press, with data on its regular
consumption among future reporters
.
Figure
2. Students who read print media (%)
Source: created by the authors
Portuguese journalism students do not read printed newspapers
:
o
nly a very small part
does
it
regularly (18.5%). This lack of dedication to print news confirms previous studies
and
is transversal to the different periods of analysis. In other words, 8 out of 10 young
people who will become reporters in the coming years do not read printed newspapers.
Among those who do read, the diet consists mainly of national reference media. The
newspapers Público (24.0%), Expresso (18.7%), Jornal de Notícias (13.8%), Diário de
Notícias (10.2%) and Correio da Manhã (6.9%) lead the preferences.
Sports daily newspapers continue to occupy an important place for this social group
Source: created by the authors
Portuguese journalism students do not read printed newspapers: only a very small part does it regularly (18.5%). is lack of
dedication to print news conrms previous studies and is transversal to the dierent periods of analysis. In other words, 8 out
of 10 young people who will become reporters in the coming years do not read printed newspapers. Among those who do read,
the diet consists mainly of national reference media. e newspapers Público (24.0%), Expresso (18.7%), Jornal de Notícias
(13.8%), Diário de Notícias (10.2%) and Correio da Manhã (6.9%) lead the preferences.
Sports daily newspapers continue to occupy an important place for this social group (11.0%), while the consumption of local
or regional media is practically non-existent (5.7%). e same can be said of weekly reference magazines, such as Visão (3.7%)
or Sábado (0.8%). e only international print media cited are Vogue and National Geographic magazines, with 0.4% each. In
any case, Figure 3 indicates that the weekly reading frequency of these young people is very low but tends to improve over time.
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Figure 3. Weekly frequency of press reading (%)
(11.0%), while the consumption of local or regional media is practically non
-
existent
(5.7%). The same can be said of weekly reference magazines, such as Visão (3.7%) or
Sábado (0.8%). The only international print media cited are Vogue and National
Geograp
hic magazines, with 0.4% each. In any case, Figure 3 indicates that the weekly
reading frequency of these young people is very low but tends to improve over time.
Figure 3. Weekly frequency of press reading (%)
Source: created by the authors
The data show that only 3.9% of journalism students read five or more times a week, i.e.
almost every day. At the other extreme, 72.9% say they read once or twice a week, while
23.2% read three to four times a week. What is really encouraging about these data is that
the length of time spent at university and the level of education in progress generate
significant changes in the reading habits of these students (Table 2).
Table 2. Readership by year of journalism course (%)
Total
Readers
%
Undergraduate
–
1st
year
154
23
14,9
Undergraduate
–
2nd
year
136
25
18,4
Undergraduate
–
3rd
year
135
29
21,5
Ma
ster
–
1st
year
14
4
28,6
Ma
ster
–
2nd
year
1
0
0,0
Source: created by the authors
The results reveal a progressive increase in the number of readers and in the frequency of
reading as the students surveyed progress through their courses. In the first year of the
degree course, 14.9% say that they regularly read the printed press. This percentage rises
to 18.4% in the second year and 21.5% in the third year
-
when they finish their degree
and enter the labour market, beginning to face the dilemmas associated with new
professional profiles.
The third year of
undergraduate
also accounts for 50.0% of individuals who report reading
Source: created by the authors
e data show that only 3.9% of journalism students read ve or more times a week, i.e. almost every day. At the other extreme,
72.9% say they read once or twice a week, while 23.2% read three to four times a week. What is really encouraging about these
data is that the length of time spent at university and the level of education in progress generate signicant changes in the
reading habits of these students (Table 2).
Table 2. Readership by year of journalism course (%)
TotalReaders%
Undergraduate – 1st year
1542314,9
Undergraduate – 2nd year
1362518,4
Undergraduate – 3rd year
1352921,5
Master – 1st year
14428,6
Master – 2nd year
100,0
Source: created by the authors
e results reveal a progressive increase in the number of readers and in the frequency of reading as the students surveyed
progress through their courses. In the rst year of the degree course, 14.9% say that they regularly read the printed press. is
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percentage rises to 18.4% in the second year and 21.5% in the third year - when they nish their degree and enter the labour
market, beginning to face the dilemmas associated with new professional proles.
e third year of undergraduate also accounts for 50.0% of individuals who report reading the printed press ve or more times
a week, followed by second year students (33.3%) and rst year students (16.7%), respectively. In the case of the master’s
degree in journalism, where comparable data are available, the rst year has almost twice as many readers as the rst year of
the degree: 14.9%
versus
28.6%.
ese gures do not indicate that journalism students do not read news in general, or that they read below the Portuguese
average. When compared to online platforms, traditional media are outperformed by a very considerable dierence in some
of the categories of analysis. Figure 4 presents, for example, the response of respondents to the question ‘Do you regularly read
the online press?’
Figure 4. Students who read news online (%)
the printed press five or more times a week, followed by second year students (33.3%)
and first year students (16.7%), respectively. In the case of the
master’s degree in
journalism
, where comparable data are available, the first year has almost twice as many
readers as the first year of the degree: 14.9%
versus
28.6%.
These figures do not indicate that journalism students do not read news in general, or that
they read below the Portuguese average. When compared to online platforms, traditional
media are outperformed by a very considerable difference in some of the categories of
analysis. Figure 4 presents, for example, the response of respondents to the question ‘Do
you regularly read the online press?’
Figure 4. Students who read news online (%)
Source: created by the authors
The data indicate
s
a significant change in students' interest. Some 89.1% of respondents
claim to read news on the websites of traditional and digital native media. This trend is
also in line with findings from other studies and reflects the socio
-
demographic
composition of the sample. Respondents are young, aged 18
-
24, where consumption of
information and entertainment is strongly linked to the Internet and mobile devices.
Consumption practices on the Internet are also more diverse compared to the print press.
In total, 64 online media are cited, while the print press has no more than 20 options.
Although the media diet consists mainly of national reference media, the spectrum of
international vehicles cited is much broader: 2
versus
23.
At the national level, there is no significant difference between the vehicles. What is read
in print is read on the Internet. Thus, Público (30.8%), Expresso (9.0%), Observador
(6.5%), Diário de Notícias (3.5%) and Jornal de Notícias (3.3%) are the top preferences.
The only difference with respect to the list of print newspapers is Observador
-
a digital
native news portal.
On the other hand, at the international level, the preferences of the sample are more
diverse, including media originating from many countries and published in several
languages. The most cited websites are CNN (2.5%), G1 (1.3%), The New York Times
Source: created by the authors
e data indicates a signicant change in students’ interest. Some 89.1% of respondents claim to read news on the websites of
traditional and digital native media. is trend is also in line with ndings from other studies and reects the socio-demographic
composition of the sample. Respondents are young, aged 18-24, where consumption of information and entertainment is
strongly linked to the Internet and mobile devices.
Consumption practices on the Internet are also more diverse compared to the print press. In total, 64 online media are cited,
while the print press has no more than 20 options. Although the media diet consists mainly of national reference media, the
spectrum of international vehicles cited is much broader: 2
versus
23.
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João Canavilhas and Branco Di Fátima
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At the national level, there is no signicant dierence between the vehicles. What is read in print is read on the Internet.
us, Público (30.8%), Expresso (9.0%), Observador (6.5%), Diário de Notícias (3.5%) and Jornal de Notícias (3.3%) are the top
preferences. e only dierence with respect to the list of print newspapers is Observador - a digital native news portal.
On the other hand, at the international level, the preferences of the sample are more diverse, including media originating from
many countries and published in several languages. e most cited websites are CNN (2.5%), G1 (1.3%), e New York Times
(1.3%), El País (0.8%) and e Guardian (0.8%). Interestingly, Google News does not reach one per cent of the preferences.
Social media platforms also play an important role in this media diet (Table 3).
Table 3. Student prole in social media
N =
%
Instagram43296,2
Facebook38686,0
Twitter35779,5
TikTok32772,8
Snapchat23251,7
LinkedIn16436.5
WhatsApp143.1
BeReal112.4
Pinterest112.4
YouTube92.0
Source: created by the authors
Students use a variety of social media, although there is a concentration on platforms that are popular among young people. In
rst place is Instagram, preferred by 96.2 per cent of the sample, followed by Facebook (86.0 per cent), X (79.5 per cent), TikTok
(72.8 per cent), Snapchat (51.7 per cent) and LinkedIn (36.5 per cent). In the TOP 10, there are platforms that do not exceed
ve percent of preference, such as Pinterest or BeReal. In addition, there are cases, such as YouTube, where it is not necessary
to have an account to consume content, and it is used more than the stated number. Only 1.0% of participants say they do not
have a prole on any platform.
Social media drive the consumption of news information. 86.4% of students say that they read news through links found on
the platforms. is result underlines the importance that networks have acquired in several aspects of journalism. Firstly,
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for the media themselves in terms of audience cultivation. Secondly, they play an important role in the training of future
journalists for new professional proles. Finally, because of the various challenges they pose, both to business models, content
production and the skills needed to manage online communities.
4. Discussion and conclusion
is study aims to investigate the relationship between Portuguese journalism students and news. ese young individuals
embody the generation that will soon join newsrooms to cover a diverse range of events shaping community life.
To accomplish the stated objective, an online questionnaire survey was conducted. e analysed dataset comprises 449
responses from students across all regions of the country. is is the most extensive and diverse research conducted with this
in Portugal.
e ndings align with research conducted in several countries, including Spain (Tejedor et al., 2021), the United States
(Tandoc Jr., 2014), Chile (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021), and Brazil (Viana et al., 2017). Approximately 81.5% of respondents did
not read printed periodicals or magazines. Conversely, 89.1% obtained their information through traditional and digital-native
media websites.
e most preferred news sources among respondents were nearly identical: press websites (33.6%) and social media (31.6%).
e focus was primarily on nationally recognized media outlets, with a limited presence of international, regional media, and
news agencies.
Despite a generally low reading frequency, a gradual increase is evident as the surveys progress over the years of the students’
course, mirroring a similar nding in a study of Australian journalism students (Hanusch et al., 2015). In essence, the closer
students are to entering the workforce, the greater their interest in reading news.
e data indicates that 70.4% of student news consumption is driven by online activities, highlighting the decline of print
media. Conversely, social media platforms have gained substantial traction among young people, as evidenced by numerous
studies (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021; Tejedor et al., 2021), although empirical data specically on Portuguese journalism
students is lacking. Consequently, most students consume news via links discovered on Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly
Twitter).
ese ndings underscore the signicance of print periodicals and magazines aligning their content, particularly their
informative format, with the demographic prole of their target audience. Additionally, journalism programs should gradually
expand their pedagogical oerings to incorporate the inuence of social media platforms on public media consumption.
While multimedia content production and data journalism remain highly sought-after skills in newsrooms (Sánchez-García et
al., 2019), social media are increasingly becoming the primary access point for such content.
Television remains a stronghold of traditional media practices. In Portugal, it ranks third in the informational preferences of
journalism students (28.3%). is enduring popularity amidst the decline of other traditional media is also evident in countries
with diverse geographical contexts, such as Chile (Avendaño Caneo et al., 2021) and Spain (Espinar-Ruiz et al., 2020). In these
instances, despite the signicant role of social media, television remains a preferred source of information for young people.
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One hypothesis explaining television’s enduring popularity is its multimedia capabilities. Among all traditional media,
television excels at combining various elements within a message, including sound, video, text, photos, graphic animation,
and even social media publications. In this context, it is probable that television consumption occurs concurrently, and that
activities on one platform can inuence engagement with others. For instance, individuals might watch television while
simultaneously browsing social media. Regardless, multimedia capabilities appear to sustain interest in television as an
information source, although the duration of this inuence is challenging to predict.
5. Acknowledgments
e English version of this article has been reviewed by Maria Amélia Carvalho to whom we are grateful for his work
is article has been developed within the framework of the following project: FCT LabCom -
https://doi.org/10.54499/
UIDB/00661/2020
6. Specic contributions of each author
Name and surname
Conception and design of the workJoão Canavilhas
Methodology
Branco Di Fátima
Data collection and analysisJoão Canavilhas and Branco Di Fátima
Discussion and conclusionsJoão Canavilhas and Branco Di Fátima
Drafting, formatting, version review and approvalJoão Canavilhas and Branco Di Fátima
7. Conict of interest
e authors declare that there is no conict of interest contained in this article.
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