GENERATION Z'S EXPOSURE TO, INTEREST IN, AND USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRINT MEDIA

With the continued rise of the internet and social media, the use of print media, which is often considered a more reliable source of information, is declining. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of exposure, interest, and use of social media and print media among Generation Z students, particularly Grade 11 students of Holy Name University, academic year 2022–2023. Participants included students from ABM, HUMSS, and STEM strands, who were selected using stratified random sampling. Using a quantitative descriptive-comparative design, exposure was examined based on time of use, sites visited, and types of reading materials used. The relationship between strand and media exposure was also examined using the chi-square test, while ANOVA was used to determine differences in interest and use. The data showed that participants had higher levels of exposure to social media, particularly Facebook and TikTok, where they spent up to five hours per day. Meanwhile, they had lower levels of exposure to print media such as books and other reading materials. The study also found that exposure, interest, and use of social media and print media were not significantly different based on strand. This indicates that students from different academic strands have similar attitudes towards the two forms of media.