Making Teenagers Read Newspapers. A Nationwide Experiment in French High Schools
A large-scale study in French high schools found that providing free digital newspaper subscriptions and media literacy education significantly increased news consumption among students. The intervention helped reduce information inequality, particularly in disadvantaged schools.
Why it matters
This research provides empirical evidence on how to combat misinformation and improve civic engagement among the youth through media literacy.
English Français Deutsch Italiano 中文 More Español Ελληνικά 日本語 Português Türkçe Despite unprecedented access to information in the digital age, young citizens face growing challenges related to news consumption and misinformation. This large-scale randomized controlled trial examines the impact of two complementary interventions designed to foster media literacy and the consumption of high-quality news among high-school students, implemented in France over the 2024-25 academic year. The study involves 243 high schools (for a total number of 9,628 students), randomly assigned to a control group or to receive one or both of the following interventions: (i) a one-year free digital subscription to the leading national newspaper, and (ii) media education modules implemented by teachers.
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