Indicators for selective exposure to news content on ideological grounds in the Flemish-speaking Belgian news market are weak. This may be due to the relative abundance of internally diverse or balanced news sources. This finding raises questions about what other factors may influence the selection of news in a context of information abundance. In exploring this research question, an interesting paradox is found. Preferences for hard and soft news and for high-brow and low-brow news sources differ between users who may be labelled as conservatives and liberals. The reasons for these differences are explored.
The study is based on the results of a diary survey and background analysis of a population between the ages of 25 and 45 living in Flanders, Belgium and consisted of a pre-survey (N=1006) to check for socio-demographic profiles, ideological attitudes and psycho-social dispositions and media preferences; a time-diary (N=460) for actual news consumption; and a post-survey (N=572) to assess for recall of news items.
The findings show that users’ preferences of for high- and middle/low brow news media is partially motivated by ideological attitudes (cultural alignment). However, the level of attention for hard news content genres and topics is mostly influenced by political involvement (political efficacy, political interest). It is concluded that the people’s cognitive capacity for engaging with news and ideological diversity in general is not so much acquired through education and cognitive dispositions (alone) as through either active or passive political engagement.