Disconnected or selective? Understanding the drivers of low or no news consumption among chilean audiences

In a context of growing news disengagement, this study examines the distinction between low news consumption and news avoidance, identifies the factors shaping each approach to the news, and explores how these dynamics materialize into structured routines. The study draws on 49 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with participants from diverse regions and sociodemographic backgrounds in Chile. The findings identify two related yet distinct groups underlying low or non-existent news use: pragmatically disengaged news users, referring to participants with low levels of news consumption due to structural constraints, and active news avoiders, referring to individuals who deliberately distance themselves from news due to emotional burden, dissatisfaction, and distrust. Additionally, the study identifies two main types of routines through which individuals disengage from news: conscious and internalized avoidance routines . While the former involves deliberate efforts to regulate news exposure, the latter reflects routinized forms of disengagement that operate with little or no conscious reflection. Overall, this study advances the understanding of news disengagement by demonstrating that low news consumption and news avoidance are not interchangeable phenomena, but distinct processes shaped by different motivations and embedded in everyday practices.