Coping with Covid

The study utilized quantitative survey data from the Digital News Report. Using Latent Class Analysis to compare the responses from 2020 (pre-pandemic) and 2021 (post-pandemic onset), to look for changing consumption patterns and to assess changes in news consumption practices. Overall, the research highlights a significant transformation in news consumption habits in Flanders, driven by the pandemic, with users becoming more selective and conscious about their news intake.

Key findings

1. The study identified three types of news users in both 2020 and 2021: 1) Limited Repertoire: Users who consume news less frequently and rely on a narrower set of sources. 2) Casual Repertoire: Users who consume news more frequently than the “Limited” group, but still rely on a limited set of sources, predominantly online. 3) Panoramic Repertoire: Users who consume a wide variety of news from multiple sources, including both popular and quality outlets.
2. There is an increased in news consumption. There was an initial surge in news consumption during the pandemic, particularly during significant events like government press conferences. However, by 2021, a shift occurred where users showed a preference for more selective or “Casual” news consumption, marked by frequent, but more focused, use of online sources.
3. The research shows a shift from Limited to Casual Consumption. There was a significant increase in users with “Casual” news repertoires, while the proportion of those with “Limited” repertoires decreased. This suggests that more people became regular news consumers during the pandemic, although they tended to focus more on easily accessible online news.
4. Television continues to be an important source of information. Despite the rise of online news, television remained a key source of information, especially during major public announcements. The number of users who cited television as their main news source grew during the pandemic.
5. The study suggests that the pandemic may have led to lasting changes in news consumption, with some users adopting more expansive news habits, though the patterns of news avoidance and selective engagement also grew.
6. Sociodemographic Influences: the research found that sociodemographic factors, such as gender and socio-economic status, played a significant role in determining the type of news repertoire users held. For instance, women and individuals with lower socio-economic status were more likely to have Limited or Casual repertoires.
7. In summary, while the pandemic initially drove a surge in news consumption, it also led to more selective and conscious news consumption habits. Users expanded their news intake but were more likely to engage with specific sources, primarily online.