News Consumption Habits of Generation Z, Case Study: Social Communication Students from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the news consumption habits of Generation Z university students in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, within a context of increasing digitalization, information fragmentation, and the circulation of misinformation, in light of the uses and gratifications theory and contemporary contributions to media ecology and digital culture. To address this question, a mixed-method approach was applied, conducting structured surveys with a sample of 175 Social Communication students, complemented by two focus groups differentiated by country. The results of the study indicated that social media constitute the students’ primary source of information, far surpassing traditional media. Thus, news consumption is characterized by its incidental nature, a preference for entertainment content, and an ambivalent assessment of online credibility. Memes emerge as legitimate news formats among young people, used both as resources for synthesis and for social critique. While students expressed awareness of misinformation, their fact-checking practices were sporadic and dependent on thematic interest. At the same time, different nuances were observed across countries in terms of thematic preferences and fact-checking strategies, suggesting the influence of sociocultural and institutional factors in shaping youth news consumption. Finally, it is concluded that students did not display a lack of interest in information, but rather reconfigure their practices based on digital devices, algorithmic logic, and the cultural dynamics of their generation.