Online news consumption and the gratification level of its users: a foundation for a media literacy action plan

News consumption methods are changing with more traditional media taking their back seat to personal, portable, and other connected devices. This instant access also leads to more news-fueling time for local, national, and international news. This study looked at online news consumption and five gratifications among two hundred and seventy-seven communication, and journalism university students in Metro Manila, Philippines. A quantitative method was used to confirm five motivations based on past research and to find new gratification. Results show that the respondents confirmed four uses and gratification of previous research (identify signaling, social relationship, escape, entertainment) and found one new gratification, "infotainment." Results also revealed that online news websites were statistically relevant. Significant relationships exist between respondents and demographics about online news consumption and demographics are statistically significant. Demographic information and online news consumption are relevant to communication and journalism students. However, the user’s level of uses and gratifications is a predictor of online news consumption. Only surveillance can predict the online news consumption of students. Also, this study finds that reading online news by students is often more motivated by amusement and pleasure infotainment as a form of dissemination of information. It was argued that online news consumption contributed to the existing body of literature with a specific audience of 18-year-olds. Infotainment is a dominant factor in online news consumption throughout the results and discussions