Information fatigue and media choice: a study of selection and transition in the digital age

Abstract

In a media environment dominated by algorithmic recommendations, the proliferation of new media platforms has profoundly reshaped the media ecosystem, consequently altering user habits. Contrary to common expectations, with the prevalence of such formats as short videos and GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format), audiences are experiencing information fatigue with regard to novel content. This fatigue, in turn, triggers behaviors of media selection and transition, leading users to revert to traditional media content and forms. Grounded in the Information Fatigue Theory, this study adopts a mixed-methods approach of questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews to explore changes in users’ media information environments. It analyzes the mechanisms underlying information fatigue from three dimensions: content redundancy, information overload, and ambiguous media needs. Finally, this study discusses the evolving yet constrained nature of audience agency in the new media era. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between information fatigue and media switching frequency, suggesting that negative emotions have become a key driver of media choice in the era of algorithmic recommendations.