The Influence of Journalistic Content on TikTok on Generation Z's Online News Consumption Preferences

Abstract

The rapid growth of social media has transformed the way Generation Z accesses and consumes news. Among various digital platforms, TikTok has emerged as an alternative source of information due to its visual, interactive, and user-centered features. This study aims to examine the influence of TikTok journalism content on Generation Z's online news consumption preferences in Garut Regency, Indonesia. A quantitative approach was employed using a survey method involving 41 Generation Z respondents who actively use TikTok and consume news content through the platform. Respondents were selected using purposive sampling. The independent variable was TikTok journalism content, measured through information quality, news presentation attractiveness, and interactivity, while the dependent variable was online news consumption preference, measured through frequency and motivation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, validity and normality tests, and simple linear regression analysis. The findings reveal that TikTok journalism content has a positive and statistically significant influence on Generation Z's online news consumption preferences (β = 0.450, p = .003). The coefficient of determination (R² = .202) indicates that TikTok journalism content explains 20.2% of the variance in online news consumption preferences. Creatively presented news content and interactive platform features contribute to increasing Generation Z's engagement with online news, although concerns regarding information quality and credibility remain. These findings suggest that TikTok functions not only as an entertainment platform but also as an important supplementary medium for news dissemination among young audiences. Improving the quality and credibility of journalism content on TikTok may further enhance Generation Z's preference for consuming online news, although other factors beyond the scope of this study also influence news consumption behavior.