The digital World and the media preferences of Generation Z

Abstract

Generation Z is the first generation to be shaped by constant access to digital technology, the internet, and especially social media. This is fundamentally changing the traditional media habits characteristic of previous generations. The results of our survey conducted among mass media communication students in Slovakia confirm that the life of Generation Z is shifting significantly to the digital environment, with platforms such as Instagram and TikTok playing a dominant role. Through both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study highlights the specificities of the media behaviour of young people in this age group, including their preference for personalized content, visual formats, or dynamic, short forms of news coverage. Respondents get their information primarily through online news portals and social media, with traditional media playing a secondary but still relevant role in their lives. The results are conceptually compared with similar foreign research, allowing broader communication trends to be tracked. The findings reflect fundamental shifts in media culture and suggest new challenges for media content creators and disseminators.