Value versus price of information. Traceability of news on social networks to train future communicators

Abstract

The main studies on social media agree that time spent on social media is increasing year on year compared to time spent on traditional media (Ortega, Padilla & Vaquerizo, 2021; Padilla & Rodríguez, 2022; Rodríguez Hernández, 2022a). This shift refers to audiences across many age strata, not just the alpha, centennial and millennial generations (El Habchi & Padilla, 2020; Ortega & Rodríguez, 2021; Padilla Castillo, 2023). On the other hand, the change is seen as negative, as if the information on networks were of poorer quality, more biased and with more hoaxes and fake news (Bernárdez, López & Padilla, 2021; Rodríguez Hernández, 2021; Requeijo, Padilla & Díaz, 2022; Rodríguez Hernández, 2022b). However, this proposal opts for an objective exploration, without previous negative or positive hypotheses, to study the possible paradigm shift and the characteristics and circumstances of this information on social networks. Specifically, it focuses on the analysis of TikTok and the 1-minute news programmes in Spanish, which have become one of the most successful formats on the Chinese social network. In them, broadcasters provide short, 60-second news programmes summarising current affairs for their audience. Through the results of the study, this work argues the importance of the traceability of information and the dilemma of its value and cost for consumers. Specifically, as teachers of journalism and advertising, we analyse the phenomenon, with its challenges and possibilities for our students' learning and self-learning as future communicators. In order to achieve the research objectives, an online survey was conducted with a sample of 1,014 people, selected by stratified random sampling of the entire Spanish population over 18 years of age. This sample was drawn from an online panel of individuals selected according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the Spanish population (INE, 2023), managed by a specialised research company. Participants received personal invitations, in their e-mails, which reduces the risk of self-selection and possible duplication. Likewise, surveys that had been answered too quickly (speeders) were monitored and discarded; and follow-up questions, independent of the questionnaire, were asked to validate the user's real attention. Among the findings, we found that studying how news is presented on networks can help understand how to reach and engage a younger audience, which is crucial for journalists who want to stay relevant in an ever-evolving digital world; TikTok and other social networks force creators to be precise and direct in their message, teaching how to condense information and communicate effectively in a limited space of time; exploring how news is presented on social networks can be an opportunity for students to experiment with different presentation styles and communication techniques.