Breaking News, Breaking Moods? Trust, Sentiment, and the Emotional Toll of Digital News Consumption

This study investigates the relationship between media consumption and happiness in today’s digital media environment, where concerns about mental health and algorithm-driven content are increasingly relevant. Drawing on uses and gratifications theory, it examines how trust in news sources, perceived news sentiment, engagement behaviour and format preferences influence subjective well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 245 residents of Idaho, a context that offers insight into less urbanised and politically homogeneous populations, though it may limit generalisability. Using self-reported data and ordinary least squares regression analysis, the study finds that trust in news is the strongest predictor of happiness, while perceiving news as mostly positive and engaging with content actively are also associated with higher life satisfaction. In contrast, a strong preference for digital platforms slightly predicts lower happiness, possibly due to sensational or emotionally exhausting content. These results highlight that not all media consumption impacts well-being equally; trust, sentiment and delivery format matter. Findings contribute to media psychology by integrating multiple variables into a single model and underscore the importance of responsible journalism, media literacy and platform design. Policymakers and journalists can apply these insights to support public mental health in increasingly fragmented and digital information ecosystems.