The Influence of using Line Today and the Information Needs on
Student Interest in Reading the News
Fentya Dyah Rahmawati
1
, Tusyanah
1
, Ahmad Nurkhin
1
, Risma Nur Anissa
1
and Ashomatul Fadlilah
1
1
Universitas Negeri Semarang, L2 Building, Sekaran Campus, Semarang, Indonesia
Keywords: Line Today, The Information Needs, Students' Interest in Reading the News
Abstract: The ease of getting information or news via the internet takes down student interest on the printed media
such as newspapers, magazines, and others. In 2017, the number of Internet users reached 3.8 billion in the
world or it was 51 percent of the entire population of the earth. Line Today is one of the features at Line
application. Students can read the news information easily online via Line Today. In the first quarter of
2017, Line managed to pocket 171 million users worldwide. The objective of the study is to determine the
influence of Line Today and the information needs to read the news on student interest. It is a quantitative
study with multiple linear regression method. The population of this study are 110 students of Educational
Administration on the fifth semester at Universitas Negeri Semarang. It uses purposive sampling and it gets
86 students as the samples calculated by solvin formula. This research results show that 1) there is a partial
influence of Line Today on student interest in reading the news for 8 percent, 2) there is a partial influence
of the information needs on student interest in reading the news for 33 percent, 3) Simultaneously, there is
an influence of using Line Today and student the information needs in reading the news for 65.9 percent. It
can be concluded that there is a significant influence of the variables Line Today (X1) and the information
needs (X2) on student interest in reading the news (Y).
1 INTRODUCTION
Indonesian people especially students have low
interests in reading (Saleh, 2006). The study
conducted by Central Connecticut State University
in March 2016 indicates that Indonesia ranks 60 of
61 countries which have low reading interests. The
presence of the Internet affects all aspects of human
life; one of them is the fulfilment of information and
interest to read the news. Based on data from We
Are Social in August 2017, the current internet users
reach 3.8 billion with 51 percent penetration of the
total population in the world
(www.tekno.liputan6.com). Then, data from the
Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology show that Indonesian internet users
reach 132.7 billion of the total population; 256.2
billion people. And, the Association of Indonesian
Internet Service Provider (APJII) shows that young
Internet users occupy the top position.
The development of the internet and gadgets
makes shift in obtaining the information, which is
initially through the printed and electronic media
switch to online media through application news
providers. Portals and news applications online are
preferred since they are up to date, unpaid and easily
accessed. In addition, students are more enthusiastic
in reading the news post on social media than
through electronic media and printed media
(Fauziah, 2017). Then, based on survey data of UC
Browser concludes that 45.9% of internet users in
Indonesia read news via applications, smartphone
the remaining 26.5% access news via television,
20.9% through computer (PC) and 6.7% via the
radio (www.tekno.liputan6.com).
Based on a survey by UC Browser, it states
that Indonesian people, especially students like
reading the news through social media application or
application. The smartphone application which can
combine the social media and a place to read the
news; it is Line. In early 2016, Line introduce a new
feature, it is Line Today. The feature of this news
provider incorporated to provide access to
information, ease of working and communicating.
Metrotvnews states that Line has 220 billion active
users worldwide and in Indonesia, Line users reach
more than 90 million (www.metrotvnews.com).
Line Today provides update news content,
and the news is not made by Line application itself,
but it is taken from a variety of online news content
16
Rahmawati, F., Tusyanah, ., Nurkhin, A., Anissa, R. and Fadlilah, A.
The Influence of using Line Today and the Information Needs on Student Interest in Reading the News.
DOI: 10.5220/0009015700002297
In Proceedings of the Borneo International Conference on Education and Social Sciences (BICESS 2018), pages 16-21
ISBN: 978-989-758-470-1
Copyright
c
 2022 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

provider partners; such as Liputan6.com,
Antaranews.com, Tempo.co and others. Thus; the
news by Line Today is credible (Sondakh, 2017: 2).
The readers of Line Today mostly are teenage
students. Based on data from antaranews.com, most
Line users in Indonesia are young adults aged 18-24
years or mostly, they are students. The research
focuses on the Universitas Negeri Semarang
students. The purpose of this study is to determine
the influence of using Line Today and students’
information needs to improve students’ interest in
reading the news at Universitas Negeri Semarang.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Line Today is featured on the news providers of
Line application. This feature is a breakthrough to
improve public knowledge of the latest news related
with the content provide on Line. It is because the
people in the globalization more interest to get
information on a smartphone or gadget than reading
on printed and electronic media. Line Today is
created to improve the daily lives of Line users
through up to date and informative content (Fauziah,
2017). It is support by a study by Fauziah and
Nuraeni (2017) on student. The results of the study
show that there is a significant influence on using of
Line Today to read news on students’ interest. It
means that using of Line Today is able to improve
students’ interest in reading the news. So, the first
hypothesis is:
H1 Using Line Today is significant to
influence students’ interest in reading the news.
The Library Association argues that the
information needs is insufficient on a particular
subject (Abdul Hak, 2008). Fulfilling the
information needs is closely related to the literacy
level. Based on research conduct by Permatasari
(2015) that the human the information need is
significant to influence his interest in reading the
news. It means that more people need to read the
news information if they need the information. So,
the second hypothesis is:
H2 the information needs is significant to
influence students’ interest in reading the news.
Reading interest is a strong desire to read
(Rahim, 2013). Strong interest in reading is manifest
in their willingness to receive reading materials and
to read on awareness of self or encouragement from
outside. Hurlock (1999) suggest that the interest
itself consists of two aspects, such as: 1) the
cognitive aspect which is based on the concept of
something related developments with interest, 2) the
affective or emotional depth is a concept which
reveals that the cognitive aspects of interest shown
in the attitude toward the activities of interest.
In the globalization, students fulfil the
information needs by utilizing the internet. Social
media and online applications have largely cover the
information needs of students, such as Line. Line
Today is up to date news providers. It is support by
research conduct by Trianda and Ayub (2017)
related to exposure to information on Line Today.
The research conduct in private schools at Bandung
show that exposure Line Today gives contribution
on the fulfilment of information needs for private
university students at Bandung; thus improving the
fulfilment of information needs made students’
interest in reading higher. The conclusion that
students after taking information from Line Today
give the high impact, for 79.95%; it means that Line
Today users often access information to fulfil their
information needs and improve students’ interest in
reading the news. So, the third hypothesis is:
H1
H3
H2
Figure 1. Theoretical Framework
H3 Using Line Today and the information
needs are significant to influence students’ interest
in reading the news.
Based on above description, the study
proposed the theoretical framework as present in
Figure 1.
3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Population and Sample
Siregar (2013) argues that population use to describe
a group of objects that is target research. This
research is conduct at the Faculty of Economics,
Universitas Negeri Semarang.
Then; sample is a data retrieval procedure in
which only part of the population are taken and use
to determine the nature and the desired
characteristics of a population. (Siregar, 2013).
X1 Using of
Line Today
X2 the Needs
Information
Y Students Interest
In reasing the News
The Influence of using Line Today and the Information Needs on Student Interest in Reading the News
17

The population of the study are students
majoring in education administration office at the
Faculty of Economics in the fifth semester at
Universitas Negeri Semarang. The population are
110 students and the samples are 86 students. The
number is taken by Solvin formula.
It uses purposive sampling which members of
the population select according to the following
criteria such as: 1) Students of Administration
Education Office who have Line application, 2)
Students who use Line Today to get information.
3.2 Research Instrument
It uses the primary data. Primary data are collected
to determine the true incidence of the event
(Sekaran, 2006). The data are collected by
distributing questionnaires through a google form in
Office Administration Education student class in the
fifth semester.
3.3 Mechanical Analysis
Data are analysis by descriptive statistics, multiple
linear regression tests, classic assumption test,
reliability and validity. In the statistical analysis, it is
supported by the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0.
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Reliability Testing
Reliability relates to the consistency of a measure
(Heale & Twycross, 2015). A study says it is reliable
if it has Cronbach’s alpha> 0.70 (Ghozali, 2006).
Table 1. Realibility Analysis
Variable No.
of
Items
No. of
the
Delete
Items
Cronbach's
Using Line Today
Feature
5 0 0.854
The Information
Needs
3 0 0.701
Students’ interest
in reading the
news
6 0 0.845
Based on the table above, it shows that using of
Line Today (X1) has a Cronbach's for 0.854, the
information needs had Cronbach's was 0.701, then
students’ interest in reading the news has Cronbach's
for 0.845. It means that all the instruments in the
study are reliable because all levels of Cronbach's >
0.70.
4.2 Construct Validity
Validity is defined as the extent to which a concept
is accurately measure in a quantitative study (Heale
and Twycross, 2015). Validity is the accuracy of the
interpretation make of the results of measurement or
evaluation (Gronlund and Lin, 1990). The research
instrument Says to be valid if it is significance
<0.05.
Table 2. Explanatory Factors Loading
Items Factors
Loading
Using Line application Today
I have an account at Line application
and understand how to use it
0.672
I use Line Today as a source of up to
date information
0.763
Alerts at Line Today on smartphones
makes me interested to read the up to
date news
0.705
Interesting information makes me
longer to read the news
0.681
Line Today is easier for me to find out
the up to date news
0.840
Information Needs
Line Today provides interesting and up
to date content
0.723
News content on Line Today gives
helpful information
0.815
Sharing information helps to fulfil the
information needs
0.477
Interests Reading the News
The number reading material is able to
expand my knowledge
0.361
Information at Line Today makes me
understand more widely
0.813
Reading the news at Line Today is able
to fulfil the Information Needs
0.747
I like the up to date news content at
Line Today
0.813
Images on every news make me more
interested to read the news
0.587
Headlines at Line Today is attractive
and easy to be understood
0.769
Based on the factors loading table above shows
that all the instruments in the study are valid,
because they has significance >0.05.
BICESS 2018 - Borneo International Conference On Education And Social
18

4.3 Regression Analysis among
Variables
Table 3. Simultaneous Test Result (F test)
Model
Sum of
Squares Df
Mean
Square F Sig.
1 Regression 453.630 2 226.815 80.277 .000
b
Residual 234.510 83 2.825
Total 688.140 85
Based on the ANOVA table or tables F, it
indicates that the calculate F value of 80.277 with a
significance of 0.000. Because of the significance
0.000 <0.05 then the regression model can be used
to predict is that using of Line Today (X1) and the
information need (X2) simultaneously give positive
influence on students’ interest in reading the news.
4.4 Partial Test (t test)
All the variables of this study are significant. The
probability of significance of independent variables,
using Line Today (X1) and the information need
(X2)> 0.05, then X1 = 0.009> 0.05 and X2 = 0.000>
0.05.
According to the table above, the linear
regression multiplier regression equation; Y = 3.915
+ 0.234X1 + 1.235X2 + e. It means that the constant
is 3.915 where using of Line Today (X1) has a
positive influence on students’ interest in reading the
news (Y) is 0.234. Then, the information needs (X2)
influence on students’ interest in reading the news
(Y) is 1.235.
1. Constant = 3.915, if the independent variables
are constant or 0 then the average of students’
interest in reading the news is 3.915.
2. Coefficient X1 (Using Line today) = 0.234, it
means if using Line Today variable increased
by 1 point while the variable of the information
needs is 0, it will lead to an improve of
students’ interest in reading the news for 0.234.
3. Coefficient X2 (The information needs) =
1.235, it is the information needs increased by
1 point while using Line Today variable is 0, it
will lead to an improve of students’ interest in
reading the news for 1.235.
Table 4. The Result Analysis of Multiple Linear
Regression
Coefficients
a
Model
Unstandar
dized
Coefficien
ts
Standar
dized
Coeffici
ents
T
Si
g.
Correlations
B
Std.
Err
or Beta
Zer
o-
ord
er
Part
ial
P
a
r
t
1 (Constant) 3.9
15
1.18
1
3.3
16
.0
01
Use Line
Today
.23
4
.087 .255 2.6
91
.0
09
.70
1
.28
3
.
1
7
2
Need for
Information
1.2
35
.193 .606 6.4
05
.0
00
.79
3
.57
5
.
4
1
0
4.5 Coefficient Determination Test
(R2)
Table 5. The Result of Simultaneous Determination
Coefficient
Model Summary
b
Model R
R
Sq
ua
re
Adju
sted
R
Squa
re
Std.
Error
of
the
Esti
mate
Change Statistics
Du
rbi
n-
W
ats
on
R
Squ
are
Ch
ang
e
F
Cha
nge
d
f
1
d
f
2
Sig
. F
Ch
ang
e
1 .8
12
a
.6
59
.651 1.68
1
.65
9
80.2
77
2 8
3
.00
0
2.1
01
Based Model Summary table above, Adjusted
R Square is 0.659 (65.9%). It means that 65.9%
variable on students’ interest in reading the news can
be explained by two independent variables, using of
Line Today and the information need. While the rest
(100% -65.9%), it is 34.1% explained by other
variables not examine of the study model.
The Influence of using Line Today and the Information Needs on Student Interest in Reading the News
19

Table 6. The Calculation Result Coefficient of
Determination of Partial
Coefficients
a
Model
Unstandar
dized
Coefficie
nts
Standa
rdized
Coeffi
cients
t
Si
g.
Correlations
B
Std.
Err
or Beta
Ze
ro-
or
der
Par
tial Part
1 (Constant) 3.9
15
1.1
81
3.3
16
.0
0
1
Use Line
Today
.23
4
.08
7
.255 2.6
91
.0
0
9
.70
1
.28
3
.17
2
Need for
Informatio
n
1.2
35
.19
3
.606 6.4
05
.0
0
0
.79
3
.57
5
.41
0
Coefficients based on the table above shows
that the partial correlation value on using of Line
Today (X1) is 0.283, then the influence of using of
Line Today (X1) on students’ interest in reading the
news (Y) is (0.283
2
x100%) or 8%. Then the partial
correlation values on the information need (X2) is
0.575, then the influence of the information need
(X2) on students’ interest in reading the news (Y) is
(0.575
2
x100%) or 33%.
From the hypotheses, it can be stated that:
H
1:
Using Line Today give significant influence on
students’ interest in reading the news, the
hypothesis is accepted.
H
2:
The Information Needs give significant
influence on students’ interest in reading the
news. The hypothesis is accepted.
H
3:
Using Line Today and the Information Needs
give significant influence on students’ interest
in reading the news. The hypothesis is
accepted.
Using Line Today (X1) significantly affects
students’ interest in reading the news (Y). Annisa
(2017) says that Line Today included a unique
feature news provider for highlight the latest news or
hot news so that users are interested in reading the
information. Furthermore, the ease in accessing the
news, where Line application provides a special
place for Line Today with the view that not much
different from other online news portal so that it is
easily accessible for users. Using Line Today
positively affects students’ interest in reading the
news on as support also by the habits of students in
using a gadget or smartphone that one goal is to
obtain information.
The Information Needs (X2) significantly
affects the interest to read the news (Y). Each
student the information need and news in life.
Permatasari (2015) says that the information needs
will encourage someone to promote literacy and
interest in reading the news. The more need of news
or information, the higher interest in reading.
Using Line Today (X1) and the Information
Needs (X2) significantly influence students’ interest
in reading the news (Y). The owners of smartphones
usually find the information through smartphone.
Then, Line Today on Line application can be used to
search for information or news. It is able to improve
students’ interest in reading the news.
5 CONCLUSIONS
It can be concluded that simultaneously, the variable
of using Line Today (X1) and the information needs
(X2) influence the interest in reading the news (Y)
for 65.9%. Partially, there are two variables
affecting students’ interest in reading the news, they
are using Line Today (X1) for 8% and the
Information Needs (X2) for 33%.
Suggestion of this research is to increase the
influence of the use of Line today to read news on
student interest will require relevant knowledge of
human motives especially students in using social
media. The motive will affect the tendency of
students to use the application as well as social
media, both motifs such use is a source for
information, to follow trends or other motives.
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