THE RISE OF ONLINE NEWS BLOGS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: MOTIVATIONS, CONSUMPTION PATTERNS, AND SOCIAL CAPITAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Online news blogs are continuously emerging and expanding in today’s world, becoming an increasingly popular source of information. This rapid proliferation of online news blogs has transformed the way university students in Lahore consume news. This shift from traditional media to digital platforms has implications for their motivations, perceived credibility, consumption patterns, and social capital. The study explores how these changes influence students’ news consumption habits, motivations behind choosing specific blogs, their trust in these sources, and the resulting impact on their social capital. This study utilized a cross-sectional research design to explore the research objectives. To ensure robust and representative findings, an empirical investigation was conducted on a stratified random sample of 562 media students from twelve public and private universities. This approach allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the perspectives and behaviors of media students across diverse educational institutions, providing valuable insights into the research questions. Findings provide the sight of university students’ use of online news blogs and their impact on motivation, perceived credibility, and social capital. It finds a positive relationship between frequent blog consumption and increased motivation, trust in information, and social connections. Statistical analysis shows that blog consumption, reading motivation, and credibility trust are strong predictors of social capital. The study also highlights that older students have higher social capital and are more engaged with blogs. Existing literature supports these findings, showing that blogs enhance social connections, provide diverse information, and influence credibility perceptions based on users’ trust in the content.