Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Information Systems

Advisor/Mentor

Grover, Varun

Committee Member

Sabherwal, Rajiv

Second Committee Member

Young, Amber G.

Third Committee Member

Aloysius, John A.

Keywords

affordances; algorithmic curation; digital news; epistemic intervention; mixed-method; news consumption

Abstract

Digitalization has profoundly transformed news consumption and production, leading to significant societal implications. Notably, the rise of fake news and echo chambers has increased political polarization. On the consumption side, digitalization has altered both the quantity and quality of news consumed, commonly referred to as an individual's "news diet." On the supply side, traditional journalistic norms are threatened as news production adapts to digital environments. Essay 1 examines the impact of digital news, conceptualized as a digital object, on news diet quality. This study employs an affordance-based framework to explore the relationship between digital features and individuals' online news consumption. Drawing on affordance theory, information processing models, and the utility of news consumption, we propose a theoretical link between digital news affordances and the quality of individuals' news diets. A mixed-method approach—comprising interviews and an online survey—is used to test our hypotheses and generate deeper insights into promoting a healthier news diet. Essay 2 focuses on individuals’ behaviors in curating news content on social media, particularly those that enhance news diet quality. We investigate the interactive role of algorithmic and social curation mechanisms in shaping news engagement patterns. Additionally, we propose theory-driven design interventions to improve news engagement behavior. We employ a multi-method approach, including online experiments and surveys, to evaluate these interventions to identify effective strategies for fostering desirable news consumption. This dissertation offers novel theoretical insights into the nature of digital news artifacts and their influence on consumption behaviors in the digital era. Our findings provide practical implications for navigating the evolving and complex landscape of digital news consumption and for fostering more informed and responsible engagement with news content.

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Available for download on Thursday, June 17, 2027

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