| Abstract: |
The researchers examined the in?uence of breaking news culture on political
anxiety among digital news consumers in Benin City during the 2023 Nigerian
presidential election. The research was guided by three objectives which focused on
the extent of exposure to breaking news, its in?uence on political anxiety, and the
relationship between both variables. The Uses and Grati?cations Theory anchored
the study, explaining that audiences actively seek news to satisfy information needs
but may also experience unintended emotional outcomes. A descriptive survey
design was adopted. The population comprised approximately 940,180 digital news
consumers in Benin City, from which a sample of 400 respondents was drawn using
the Taro Yamane formula. A total of 382 valid questionnaires were returned and
analysed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression. Findings revealed
a high level of exposure to breaking news culture among respondents during the
election period. Continuous alerts, repeated updates, and multi-platform
engagement characterised their news consumption behaviour. The study also found
a high level of political anxiety, expressed through worry, uncertainty, and
emotional tension. Regression analysis showed a signi?cant positive relationship
between breaking news culture and political anxiety (R = 0.64, R² = 0.41, p < 0.05),
indicating that increased exposure to breaking news signi?cantly heightened
anxiety levels. The study concludes that while breaking news culture enhances
awareness, it also intensi?es emotional strain among digital news consumers. It
recommends more contextualised reporting, reduced noti?cation overload, and
improved media literacy to mitigate anxiety effects during election periods.
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