Avoiding the News But Still Feeling Connected? The Role of News Use and Avoidance Practices in Different Public Connection Repertoires

While current research acknowledges the existence of various forms of news avoidance, less attention has been paid to how these forms relate to the different ways individuals engage with public spheres. This study builds on the concept of public connection repertoires—structured patterns of practices through which individuals relate to different publics. Drawing on qualitative interviews and contextualized repertoire maps conducted in Germany between 2019 and 2022, we develop an empirical typology of public connection repertoires and examine the role of news use and news avoidance within them. The analysis includes communicative practices relevant to public connection beyond hard news consumption, such as interpersonal communication. As different forms of news avoidance appear across the full spectrum of public connection repertoires, our findings suggest that avoiding the news does not necessarily indicate disengagement from public life. In this context, the repertoire approach offers a more nuanced understanding of the multifaceted nature of news avoidance and its democratic implications.