Younger Generations Engage In News More Globally as They Become Less Culture-Oriented by Katie54 and Lauren19

Globally, over the past two years, from 2012 to 2014, nearly every country's consumption of news has increased, while the United States has interestingly decreased in it's consumption of news. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report for 2014, Japan leads the world with nearly 81% of it's nation in accessing the news more than once a day. The United States staggers in last place, with only 54% of the population checking several times. This rate has decreased by 6% in the last four years. Clearly, the idea of individualization is on the rise in other nations for the first time.

Young Individuals Focus More on the Self, and Less on the Overall Culture of the Nation

As Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media sites take over personal devices, the individual is drawn further away from family values, community, and culture, and is engaged in more topics revolving around the self. As seen in the graphic below, Lists/Stories are the most popular type of news stories for nearly all 10 countries listed. This reason this may be so, is because the younger generations are most interested in personal narratives that are relatable, compared to dry news articles that are primarily fact. Therefore, personality is promoted through social media, and it encourages users to share their stories since more people are likely to read such things.

The Hand-Held Device Hooks Users to Individuality 

As of this year, tablets are dominating the world of technology. Users no longer take the time to sit down at a computer to engage in news and media. They enjoy gathering information on the go, which is why the smartphone has been such a success. However, the tablet now combines the screen of a computer to the accessibility of the smartphone, making it the most popular device globally. The large screen, the ability to hold in one's private hands, makes it an individualized device that hooks users to the easy access of apps, internet, photos, and social media networks. Therefore, the frequency of using these devices increase as well.

Generational Difference Effect the Global Consumption of News

While it is shocking that the United States is falling behind the most in news engagement, it is interesting to see countries like Japan and Italy are increasing their consumptions. These nations have cultures that revolve around the family, not the individual, and to see their rates of individual consumption increase, proves that the younger generations are weeding out the older generations who engaged in news through printed papers and occasionally the television. Even more importantly, a shift in gender roles changes the dynamics of consumption as well. According the slides provided below, more men are interested in global issues, why females (who are seeking more power and gender equality) are more interested in narratives, and entertainment sources that give them a voice on the Internet.