This study investigates the motivations of Chinese college students to use social media to read news. By integrating the TAM and UGT frameworks, this study examines the impact of users' perceptions for media technologies and intrinsic needs on their usage intentions. The findings show that Chinese college students' perceived ease of use and usefulness of media technologies influences their intention to use social media for news reading. In addition, the cognitive, social, and affective satisfaction that participants derive from social media use are also motivational factors for Chinese college students to use social media for news reading. The research contributes to the understanding of individuals' perception, motivation, and intention in social media usage for news reading and sharing. The practical implications suggest that social media organizations can enhance content presentation through technological improvements and personalized features like intelligent recommendations, thereby enhancing users' news reading experience. This study creatively combines the TAM and UGT frameworks to develop a robust conceptual model for examining the motivational factors driving contemporary Chinese college students' use of social media for news reading.
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