News consumption practices in the context of the second screen approach: A study on news consumers

As new communication technologies continue to develop and become increasingly widespread, the phenomenon of simultaneous media consumption across multiple screens is on the rise. People engage more with the internet and mobile devices, leading to a growing demand for multi-screen experiences. In this landscape, a single screen and device may no longer suffice. Second screen use has emerged as a novel way for individuals to interact with various forms of media, transitioning seamlessly from television to the internet, and from the internet to mobile devices, and back again. Today, many individuals augment their live television viewing by engaging with a second screen to enrich their viewing experience. Despite this trend, the impact of second-screen use remains largely unexplored, particularly in the context of news consumption, presenting an area for further research. The primary objective of this study is to explore the preferences and intentions of news consumers regarding the use of second screens. The study addresses the question of how news consumers prefer to use the second screen and how they assess its impact on news consumption. To achieve this, a mixed method approach was employed, involving purposeful sampling to gather data from news consumers. The study comprised a two-stage evaluation: an online survey to uncover preferences for second-screen usage and news consumption profiles, followed by qualitative interviews structured by the quantitative findings. Through this approach, the study revealed the motivations behind second screen use and provided an in-depth analysis of participants' news consumption habits when using the second screen. While the findings show that news consumers use the second screen mostly to be informed about the news content and to see alternative opinions, it is noteworthy that the second screen use is mostly in the evening news.