An Empirical Study of Personality and Age as Determinants of Satisfaction of Online News Readers

Abstract

The consumption of online news is an increasingly significant part of modern life, shaping how individuals access, process, and respond to information. While extensive research has been conducted on general media consumption, the specific influence of personality and age on the satisfaction of online news readers remains underexplored. Moreover, the interaction between these demographic and psychological factors in shaping users’ satisfaction has not been thoroughly examined. The present study focused on Personality (Introversion and Extraversion) and Age (Young Adults: 20–30 years, Middle Aged: 40–50 years) in relation to the Satisfaction of Online News Readers, specifically those using news websites and applications. A structured tool, the Satisfaction of Online News Readers Scale, comprising 35 items on a 5-point Likert scale, was administered to a total of 400 respondents. The findings indicate that personality significantly influences factors such as credibility, review, and sharing, while age affects review, choice, and evidence-based content. A significant interaction effect of personality and age was observed for credibility and preference for news websites.