Social viewing of news and political participation: The mediating roles of information acquisition, self-expression, and partisan identity

The practice of engaging in social interactions on various social media platforms while simultaneously consuming TV news or live broadcasts has become increasingly popular. However, although research has highlighted its impact on social mobilization and political participation, the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon are not fully understood. This study utilizes two-wave panel survey data from South Korea to explore how socially viewing news may enhance political participation. It specifically investigates whether the information acquisition and self-expression stimulated by social viewing of news bolster partisan identity, which in turn, fosters political participation. Our findings indicate a positive relationship between social viewing of news and both information acquisition and self-expression. Moreover, these dynamics of social viewing of news activate individuals’ partisan identity, thereby positively influencing their political participation.