Political Interest and News Media Literacy among University Students: Case of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2023)

Authors

• Nhat Anh Nguyen, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
• Ngoc Thuy Duong Le, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

In today’s complex media environment, the ability to critically evaluate news plays an essential role in shaping political interest, especially among youth. Although media literacy has been extensively investigated in relation to civic outcomes, the particular link between news media literacy (NML) and political interest is still little known. This paper investigates this link among Vietnamese university students by means of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as a prominent foreign policy instance. Drawing on Potter’s (2004) cognitive model and Maksl et al.'s (2015) NML scale, this study primarily employs a quantitative approach using survey data (N = 410), complemented by a limited number of in-depth interviews to provide contextual and interpretive insight into students’ engagement with political news. Results reveal a statistically significant positive correlation between NML and political interest, with higher-NML students showing more informed interpretations of international developments. While the study affirms NML’s relevance to civic development, it is limited by sample scope and reliance on self-reported data. Future research should further explore behavioral outcomes across diverse educational contexts.

Recommended Citation

Nguyen, N., & Le, N. (2026). Political Interest and News Media Literacy among University Students: Case of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2023). Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle-preprints/60

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.