At the beginning of Spring term, University of Oregon senior Manuela Baez Ordonez said she was trying to stay away from the news as much as possible.
“It feels as if my family has been blasting the news for the past two weeks and it’s just putting me down,” said the journalism student, referring to COVID-19 reports that — since March — have dominated media coverage.
According to an April Chartbeat analysis of the pageviews of 28 million articles — the number of articles produced this year at the point the piece was published — slightly more than 80,000 COVID-19-related stories were produced a day.
That analysis also pointed to a future decrease in traffic for these stories as COVID-19 fatigue sets in and people like Ordonez try to take a break from the coverage.
Traffic had decreased for COVID-19 content by 24.6%, according to page view data.
Many UO students rely on social media to get quick news and some are seeking out more positive stories.
Social Media and news apps
The use of social media as a news source — though having dipped in the U.S. after 2017 — still remains a strong gateway to breaking stories, as Reuters 2019 Digital News Report highlights,.
Brady McCollom, a junior journalism student, says he usually gets most of his news from platforms like Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter.
“I think that I tend to stay away from sources that take too long to get to the point because it doesn’t seem to grab my attention,” said McCollom.
He also frequently uses the newsapp on his phone, just like junior journalism major Hanin Najjar. “For breaking news and big headlines, I depend on my Apple News app,” Najjar said.
Najjar understands the COVID-19 coverage fatigue. “I think we definitely need more positive stories, especially with this pandemic.”
McCollom also wants some diversion. “I am really trying to stay up to date on the pertinent information but at the same time, I really need some human-interest stories in my feed.”
More Positivity Required?
Madeleine Rowell, a junior English major, currently residing on a family farm in Dexter, Oregon, says she sometimes needs a break from COVID-19 news too.
“For my own sanity and interest I have to take a break, because there’s so much coverage,” said Rowell, while also acknowledging the importance of keeping informed.
She also gets most of her news from scrolling through her Apple News app, as well as listening to podcasts about COVID-19.
“I get reassured when I hear a lot of people talking about it, looking into, lots of people doing research. It just makes me feel like a lot of people are on top of it,” said Rowell.
Rowell says she spent more time obsessively checking the news earlier in spring when the outbreak in the U.S. grew. Now, that the situation has entered a standstill, with no new major developments, she says she feels she has become desensitized.
“I’m actually finding that I’m not spending as much time on my phone,” Rowell said. She attributes this her special circumstances, living out on a farm. “I have farm work to do,” she says.
