News Consumption in Libya : A Study of University Students

This book aims to understand the relationship between Libyan students’ consumption of satellite TV news services and their perceptions of news issues. This involves examining students’ news consumption habits and their motives for the choices they make. In the face of competition from well-resourced broadcasters such as Al Jazeera TV, what can Libyan news services do to retain audience interest and loyalty? Do they need to do anything different? Is there room for local and international news in Libya? The book also explores whether Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya have affected students’ use of local TV news services. Have local channels been displaced by newer channels and is the use of different channels driven by the same or different news consumption motives?The book reveals that there are distinct variations in news consumption defined in part by news platform (TV versus radio versus newspaper) and in part by type of news providers (local versus international TV). Students seek out news sources they believe to be credible and that local TV news provision does not reach the students’ standards of credibility. In content, there may be room in the evolving news landscape for local TV services to occupy a niche market that still has value for the Libyan public. To retain this market, however, quality of delivery will also be crucial.