INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
The Uses and Gratifications of Multimedia Integration in Malaysian  
Online News Consumption  
Ng Wei Liang1, Lee Kuok Tiung2  
1Faculty ofSocialSciences and Humanities, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400KotaKinabalu, Sabah,  
Malaysia  
2 Facultyof SocialSciencesandHumanities, UniversitiMalaysiaSabah, Jalan UMS, 88400KotaKinabalu,  
Sabah,Malaysia  
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.907000401  
Received: 14 July 2025; Accepted: 22 July 2025; Published: 20 August 2025  
ABSTRACT  
Focusing on the online news consumption scenario in Malaysia, this paper uses the "Uses and Gratifications  
Theory" (U&G) as a theoretical lens to deeply deconstruct the behaviour of multimedia integration in online  
news. Through a quantitative questionnaire survey of 328 (N=328) Malaysian audiences. This paper deeply  
analyses the user needs, usage pattern and gratification of multimedia elements such as video, infographics,  
interactive functions and social media integration in news portals. The findings found that audience needs  
present a clear hierarchical structure: cognitive needs is dominant, and audiences have a significant preference  
for multiple media forms that can effectively simplify complex information. At the uses level, Malaysian  
audiences are highly dependent on multimedia for information seeking, but their information sharing  
behaviour is significantly limited, reflecting the unique local cultural characteristics. Gratification analysis  
reveals a "form-function paradox", compared with pure -text presentation, video content can bring higher  
gratification; and social gratification strongly confirms the role of multimedia news as a tool for strengthening  
social interaction. In addition, technology needs and gratification present a subtle duality: on the one hand,  
users have a positive overall experience evaluation, and on the other hand, they are critical of the design of  
specific interactive functions. Correlation analysis further verifies the significant correlation between user  
needs, media use behaviour and gratifications dimensions, thereby strengthening the empirical validity of the  
multidimensional framework. By explaining the multimedia-integration news consumption and constructing a  
cognitive-social dual-core model, this study significantly promotes the research progress of multimedia  
journalism and provides practical suggestions for optimizing news portal strategies.  
Keywords— Audience Studies, Malaysia, Multimedia News, Online News Consumption, Uses and Gratifications  
Theory  
INTRODUCTION  
The rapid development of digital technology has profoundly reshaped the global news consumption landscape,  
and Malaysia is no exception (Reuters Institute, 2024; Jerome et al., 2023). Multimedia such as video,  
interactive features, infographics, social media, etc., have been deeply integrated into the audience's news  
acquisition process (Tan et al., 2024；Sunway University, 2025). As a result, both Malaysian audiences and  
news organizations have increasingly embraced multimedia-integrated news formats to keep pace with these  
technological shifts. In this context, multiple key factors are driving Malaysia to embrace this wave of change.  
Social media was one of the main factors that encouraged multimedia integration. Social media platforms such  
as Facebook play a vital role as a portal, data shows that 90% of Internet users using Facebook regularly  
(Digital Business Lab, 2022; Reuters Institute, 2024). With social media, Malaysians pay more attention to the  
convenience, timeliness and cost-effectiveness of online news, and are accustomed to sharing information  
through instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp, encouraging cross-platform narrative (Digital  
Business Lab, 2022; Jerome et al., 2023).  
Page 4951  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
Moreover, with the rising Internet penetration rate and high device penetration, Malaysia online news  
organization are accelerating from traditional media to digital platforms (Digital Business Lab, 2022; Jerome  
et al., 2023). This transformation not only improves the effectiveness of content dissemination but also gives  
rise to emerging profit models such as online advertising and paid subscriptions (Bahiyah et al., 2023), which  
have become the key growth engine of the industry, especially after the epidemic. However, the tension  
between commercial and public values needs to be balanced. The current profit model relies on highly  
interactive content, but there is almost no empirical research on how such designs erode the professionalism of  
journalism, and multimedia news research is needed to coordinate commercial innovation and public interests  
(Jerome et al., 2023; Bahiyah et al., 2023). Research on the use of multimedia integrated news in Malaysia has  
core practical value in optimizing the transformation of media business models.  
Thus, this study aims to explore specific audience needs, usage pattern and gratification on the integration of  
multimedia elements in Malaysian online news portals. With the lens of Uses and Gratifications Theory  
(U&G), this research helps news organization understand the audience needs by the survey.  
LITERATURE REVIEW  
The Uses and Gratification Theory (U&G) was proposed. Katz et.al (1973) reveals that the audience does not  
passively receive information but actively selects media content to meet specific needs. Their media use  
behavior has a clear purpose and ultimately obtains corresponding gratification. When we project this  
theoretical perspective into the field of online news, multimedia integration is significantly reshaping the user's  
news experience. Its value lies in its ability to simultaneously respond to the audience's multiple needs.  
The integration of multimedia technology in digital products and services has significantly optimized the user  
experience (UX) and created a more attractive, interactive and personalized interaction mode as well. This  
move not only conforms to the continuous evolution of user needs but also becomes the core driving force for  
innovation in the media industry. Its key impacts are reflected in deep enhancement of interactivity, which  
reshapes user interactions that are more dynamic and context-appropriate (Zhang, 2024; Fonseca, 2015); user-  
centered design concepts, optimizing interfaces through empirical methods such as user research to ensure that  
they respond intuitively to needs, thereby improving gratification and application effectiveness (Wang & Li,  
2024); seamless integration and universal access, multimedia databases and adaptive technologies improve  
information accessibility, benefit diverse users including people with disabilities, and promote cultural  
experience and global connectivity (Liu, 2024; Fonseca, 2015).  
The research of Song et al. (2023) found out that multimedia which includes videos and infographics can  
simplify news, improve the performance of information digestion, but additionally deepen the understanding  
of news materials. The interactive capabilities and multimedia elements have been verified to significantly  
enhance the person's immersive reveal in and emotional resonance in news, thereby establishing a meaningful  
connection between the audiences and the news (Giambastiani, Wagner & Freitas，2024).  
However, although existing studies generally agree that multimedia components have an enabling effect on the  
dissemination of news information (Bahiyah et al., 2023), there are few in-depth discussions on the audience’s  
usage behavior in this process. The introduction of the "Uses and Gratifications" (U&G) theoretical framework  
provides a key to understanding this complex picture. This framework can not only accurately identify the  
media needs, usage patterns and gratification that are most suitable for specific audience groups, but also  
deeply analyze the adaptation logic and action mechanism between the diversified needs of the audience and  
various types of multimedia news content. In other words, the U&G theory allows us to penetrate the technical  
appearance and point directly to the deep psychological motivations behind the audience's choice behavior.  
U&G in Malaysians online news consumption  
Following the uses and gratifications theory (U&G) framework, the online news consumption preferences of  
Malaysian audiences also reflect multiple levels of needs. In the specific context of the country, online news  
consumption behavior is shaped by three dimensions: cultural influence, socioeconomic status, and  
technological affordances (Ng & Omar, 2023; Hassan et al., 2024).  
Page 4952  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
Based on the analysis of U&G theory, the scholar has identified several core needs that affect the online news  
consumption for Malaysian audiences (Ng & Omar, 2023; Hup & Ker, 2018), among which the key dimension  
that urgently needs empirical testing is the need for technology , that is, the infrastructure that supports the  
audience to realize multimedia integration news consumption. This technological empowerment enables the  
audience, especially the young group who are good at digital survival, to rely on the personal customization  
mechanism of the news portal to curate personalized information landscapes on needs (Hassan et al., 2023;  
Hup & Ker, 2018).  
At the same time, Malaysian audiences show differentiated gratification orientations: during viral events or  
festivals, most users rely on multimedia platforms to obtain and disseminate instant information, reflecting  
utilitarian and social needs; while another group obtains entertainment and personal- identity through a  
collective viewing mode like traditional television (Hup & Ker, 2018; Ng & Omar, 2023). Such findings  
collectively indicate that online news consumption is driven by the synergistic effects of cognitive, affective,  
and social rewards that is, the "compound gratification effect" (Hup & Ker, 2018), rather than a single  
motivation.  
In this context, this study uses U&G theory to investigate Malaysia's multimedia news practice, empirically  
examines the coupling of existing needs, usage behaviors, and gratifications in this specific context, and  
directly responds to the theoretical gap in the study of audience behavior in a multimedia news environment.  
METHODOLOGY  
A quantitative survey study method was used, by using snowball sampling, in which Malaysian were targeted  
to evaluate their multimedia consumption habits on the news portal. A total of 328 were collected using the  
structured questionnaire distributed through google form. Google Forms was commonly used to distribute  
structured questionnaires in online studies within Malaysia (Dhaanya & Veerappan, 2022; Awang et al., 2023).  
Snowball sampling is a chain-referral method well-suited for online surveys among networked populations  
(Morgan, 2011; Awang et al., 2023). Statistical analysis in SPSS version 29, where descriptive statistics, mean,  
standard deviation, Pearson correlation matrix, were used to check the descriptive data of audience’s needs,  
uses, gratification in multimedia integration news consumption behavior.  
The survey is mainly divided into 4 sections, Section A starting by describing the survey and providing  
information that this survey is fully voluntary, and respondents agree to research concerns in the first section.  
The description will also explain what multimedia integration is and the research objectives. Section B is the  
demographic profile of the respondents, including gender, age, ethnicity, and academic level, ending with what  
are your preferred Malaysia online news portals? While in section C, we used the 1 to 5 Likert scale to  
measure the needs and uses construct. For section D, we measured the gratification construct.  
Lastly, for research reliability, the study used the Cronbach alpha reliability to test the reliability of the  
variables, Cronbach alpha threshold above 0.7 shows great internal-consistency reliability (Bujang et al.,  
2018). While for the validity, researchers apply the face validity which by asking 5 respondents who fill in the  
survey thus refined the questionnaires. Face validity is the subjective determination of whether a test or  
measure appears to measure what it is supposed to (Nevo, 1985). Table 1 shows the result of Cronbach alpha  
coefficients of the result.  
Table 1: Cronbach alpha Coefficients of each Variable  
Variable Name  
Cognitive  
Cronbach alpha Coefficient (α) N of items (N)  
0.841  
0.807  
0.801  
3
3
3
Affective  
Personal  
Page 4953  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
identity  
Technology  
0.706  
0.752  
3
3
Information  
sharing  
Information  
seeking  
0.804  
3
Passing time  
Content  
0.711  
0.900  
0.715  
0.914  
0.842  
3
3
3
3
3
Entertainment  
Social  
Technology  
Source: Author’s Computation (2025)  
FINDINGS  
Table 2: Demography Of Respondent  
Demography  
Gender  
Male  
Frequency (N)  
Percentage (%)  
194  
134  
59.1  
40.9  
Female  
Ages  
18-25  
131  
80  
39.9  
24.4  
21.0  
14.0  
25-35  
35-45  
69  
45-55  
48  
Ethnicity  
Malay  
126  
90  
38.4  
27.4  
15.5  
18.6  
Chinese  
Indians  
Natives  
Academic level  
51  
61  
Page 4954  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
SPM  
STPM/Foundation  
Diploma  
126  
59  
25  
96  
11  
38.4  
18.0  
7.6  
Degree  
29.3  
3.4  
Master  
PHD  
11  
3.4  
Source: Author’s computation (2025)  
Based on 328 valid samples, Table 2 showed the demographic properties of the respondent. Data showed that  
the gender was unbalanced as shown in the table (59.1% vs 40.9%). The age distribution showed a typical  
right-skewed characteristic, with the 18-35-year-old youth group accounting for a total of 64.3%, of which the  
18-25-year-old group accounted for the highest proportion (39.9%), reflecting the younger tendency of the  
sample. In terms of ethnic composition, the proportion of Malays (38.4%), Chinese (27.4%), indigenous  
peoples (18.6%) and Indians (15.5%) basically reflects the composition characteristics of the main ethnic  
groups in Malaysia. The educational level showed a "pyramid" distribution: secondary education (SPM)  
accounted for the highest proportion (38.4%), followed by undergraduate education (29.3%), and postgraduate  
education accounted for less than 7% in total. This demographic characteristic analysis provides an important  
basis for the evaluation of sample representativeness in subsequent studies.  
Table 3: What Is Your Preferred Malaysia Online News Portals?  
Online news Portals  
Astro Awani  
BH online  
Frequency  
Percentage (%)  
35.7%  
117  
85  
69  
64  
34  
112  
76  
63  
85  
94  
77  
25.9%  
Kosmo  
21.0%  
Metro Harian  
News Strait Times  
Malay Mail  
19.5%  
10.4%  
34.1%  
Bernama  
23.2%  
Free Malaysia Today  
MalaysiaKini  
Says  
19.2%  
25.9%  
28.7%  
China Press  
23.5%  
Source: Author’s computation (2025)  
The table 3 showed that usage of online news platforms in Malaysia is diversified. Multiple choices data shows  
that Astro Awani (35.7%, n=117) and Malay Mail (34.1%, n=112) take the lead and become the two most  
Page 4955  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
frequently visited news portals by respondents. Says (28.7%, n=94), BH online (25.9%, n=85) and  
Malaysiakini (25.9%, n=85) form the second echelon, with user access rates exceeding 25%. It is worth noting  
that news platforms transformed from traditional media such as Bernama (23.2%, n=76) and China Press  
(23.5%, n=77) still maintain considerable influence, while emerging digital media such as Free Malaysia  
Today (19.2%, n=63) are also favored by nearly 20% of users. This distribution pattern reflects both the  
effectiveness of the digital transformation of traditional media and the rapid development of new media  
platforms. The significant difference in the proportion of users of each platform (10.4%-35.7%) shows that  
there is a clear competitive stratification phenomenon in the Malaysian online news market.  
Table 4: Mean and Standard Deviation of Needs  
Needs  
Mean (μ)  
Standard Deviation (σ)  
Cognitive  
I need different multimedia news content to help  
me understand current events more clearly.  
3.73  
3.20  
1.185  
1.408  
I seek multiple multimedia features because they  
help me grasp complicated topics.  
I turn to multimedia news when I want clearer  
explanations than text-only articles can provide.  
3.78  
1.180  
Affective  
I seek different multimedia news when I need to  
feel emotionally connected to a story.  
3.35  
3.58  
1.474  
1.297  
I am motivated to news content that can evoke  
emotions through visuals, images, or sounds.  
I turn to multimedia news when I want an  
emotionally engaging experience.  
3.26  
1.351  
Personal identity  
I need multiple multimedia news sources that  
reflect my values and identity.  
3.70  
3.40  
1.133  
1.447  
I seek different multimedia news content that helps  
me express who I am.  
I look for different multimedia news that supports  
my ability to engage in social conversations about  
current events.  
3.72  
1.125  
Technology  
I am motivated to use news portals with different  
advanced multimedia features.  
3.63  
3.35  
1.235  
1.434  
I need news platforms that offer smooth, user-  
friendly service with different multimedia  
Page 4956  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
functions.  
I seek news content that allows me to interact with  
multimedia elements with videos, comment or  
infographics.  
3.67  
1.286  
Source: Author’s computation (2025)  
The table 4 showed that needs of Malaysian citizens in this study for multimedia news. In the cognitive  
dimension, users attach the most importance to the explanatory function of multimedia content on complex  
issues (μ=3.78, σ=1.185), which is significantly higher than the needs for diversity of multimedia forms  
(μ=3.20, σ=1.408); in thetechnological featuresnsion, the social dialogue support function (μ=3.72, σ= 1.125)  
and value fit (μ=3.70, σ=1.133) of news content become key needs, while the self-expression function  
(μ=3.40) is relatively weak; the affective dimension is overall mild (μ=3.26-3.58), and individual differences  
are significant (σ>1.29); the technical dimension highlights the tension between users' preference for  
interactive functions (μ=3.67) and tolerant attitude towards technological features (μ=3.35).  
Table 5: Mean And Standard Deviation Of Uses  
Uses  
Mean (μ)  
Standard Deviation (σ)  
Information sharing  
I share multimedia news content with friends  
and family.  
3.62  
3.22  
3.70  
1.336  
1.378  
1.219  
I am more likely to share news that includes  
videos, images, or infographics.  
I share news across different platforms  
Information seeking  
I search more on different multimedia news  
content to stay updated on current events.  
3.80  
3.61  
3.27  
1.207  
1.344  
1.427  
Different Multimedia features help me seek  
news.  
I search for multimedia-integrated news more  
than text-based news.  
Passing Time  
I consume different multimedia news content  
when I have free time.  
3.69  
3.33  
1.181  
1.448  
I watch or read multimedia news to relax or  
unwind.  
Scrolling through multimedia news content is  
a way for me to pass the time  
3.20  
1.327  
Source: Author’s computation (2025)  
Page 4957  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
Table 5 shows the usage pattern of Malaysian citizen in this study, in terms of information sharing, users  
showed a strong tendency to spread information across platforms (μ=3.70) but were relatively conservative in  
sharing multimedia news (μ=3.22). The dimension of information acquisition showed obvious multimedia  
dependence, especially when used to track current events (μ=3.80), but pure text news still maintained a  
certain appeal (μ=3.27). It is worth noting that although recreational use was generally active (μ=3.20-3.69),  
there was a significant difference (Δ=0.13) between the "relaxation" function (μ=3.33) and the "killing time"  
use (μ=3.20), and the latter had a larger standard deviation (σ=1.327), reflecting the individual differences of  
uses in this dimension.  
Table 6: Mean and Standard Deviation of Gratification  
Gratification  
Mean (μ)  
Standard Deviation (σ)  
Content gratification  
The use of multimedia in news enhances my understanding of  
the topic.  
3.24  
3.68  
3.39  
1.392  
1.188  
1.436  
I feel more satisfied with news articles that include videos or  
interactive elements.  
I prefer multimedia news content over traditional text-based  
news.  
Entertainment gratification  
I find multimedia news content more entertaining than text-only  
news.  
3.67  
1.215  
I enjoy watching news videos instead of reading long articles.  
3.64  
3.32  
1.208  
1.484  
The use of animations and interactive elements makes news  
more engaging for me.  
Social gratification  
Multimedia-integrated news helps me engage in discussions with  
others.  
3.63  
1.235  
I feel more connected when I share and discuss multimedia news  
3.77  
3.74  
1.150  
1.119  
I interact more with social media posts that include multimedia  
news content.  
Technology gratification  
I enjoy using interactive features in multimedia news content.  
3.30  
3.21  
1.338  
1.412  
High-quality multimedia features increase my gratification with  
a news portal.  
The availability of multimedia elements enhances my overall  
news experience.  
3.72  
1.120  
Source: Author’s computation (2025)  
Page 4958  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
Table 6 shows the gratification obtained by Malaysia citizen, in the content gratification dimension, the  
integration of video and interactive elements significantly improved user gratification (μ=3.68), but the  
preference for pure multimedia news was relatively low (μ=3.39), and the perception of improved  
understanding was the most limited (μ=3.24). The large standard deviation (σ=1.392) indicated that there were  
significant differences in individual cognition. Entertainment gratification was the most prominent, especially  
the acceptance of video news (μ=3.67) was significantly higher than that of interactive elements (μ=3.32),  
reflecting the advantage of audio-visual content in entertainment. It is worth noting that the social gratification  
dimension performed strongly overall (μ=3.63-3.77), among which "enhancing social connection" (μ=3.77)  
and "promoting social media interaction" (μ=3.74) were particularly significant, and the small standard  
deviation (σ≈1.1) showed that users had a high degree of consensus in this dimension. Technical gratification  
showed a bipolar feature: although the overall experience of multimedia elements was significantly improved  
(μ=3.72), users' gratification with interactive functions (μ=3.30) and picture quality requirements (μ=3.21) was  
relatively limited.  
Table 7：Pearson Correlation Matrix Among Constructs  
Constructs  
1. CN  
2. AN  
3. PI  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10  
— .867** .842** .865** .865** .874** .853** .817** .862** .836** .868**  
.849** .848** .855** .852** .859** .872** .887** .848** .876**  
.828** .852** .860** .819** .844** .853** .848** .834**  
.834** .851** .828** .823** .843** .834** .849**  
.907** .839** .856** .867** .842** .841**  
.849** .834** .864** .851** .857**  
.849** .852** .830** .838**  
.857** .831** .813**  
.850** .863**  
11  
—
—
4. TN  
—
5. ISH  
6. ISK  
7. PT  
—
—
—
8. CG  
9. EG  
—
—
10. SG  
11. TG  
—
.839**  
—
Source: Author’s computation (2025)  
Notes: All values are Pearson correlations, significant  
at the p < .01 level** (2-tailed).  
Abbreviations: CN = Cognitive Need, AN = Affective Need, PI = Personal Identity, TN = Technology Need,  
ISH = Information Sharing, ISK = Information Seeking, PT = Passing Time, CG = Content Gratification, EG =  
Entertainment Gratification, SG = Social Gratification, TG = Technology Gratification.  
Table 7 showed the results of Pearson correlation matrix analysis show that there are significant positive  
correlations among the 11 constructs (r=0.813-0.907, p<0.01). This finding not only confirms the internal  
consistency of the "uses and gratifications" theoretical framework but also reveals the close theoretical  
connection between the dimensions. Specifically, cognitive needs and affective needs are highly correlated  
(r=0.867), indicating that in the process of multimedia- integrated news consumption, users' need the  
information that is rich in emotion. It is particularly noteworthy that information seeking and information  
sharing behaviours are almost completely correlated (r=0.907), which reflects that the two have significant  
functional overlap in user behaviour patterns. In terms of gratification dimensions, content, entertainment and  
Page 4959  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
technology elements are strongly correlated with various needs, which the correlation between entertainment  
gratification and affective needs (r=0.887) and technology gratification and cognitive needs (r=0.868) is  
particularly prominent. This study empirically verifies the intricate interactive relationship between user needs,  
usage behaviors and gratification mechanisms in multimedia-integration news portals.  
DISCUSSION  
Based on the uses and gratifications theory framework, this study systematically explored the multimedia  
integration consumption behavior of Malaysian online news audiences. The main research findings show  
significant characteristics at three levels:  
At the level of needs, the study revealed a clear hierarchical structure. Cognitive needs dominate (μ=3.78),  
among which the ability to analyze complex problems using multimedia is the most valued. This finding is  
consistent with the research of Song et al. (2023) on the advantages of visual information processing. Personal  
identity needs show dual characteristics: its function as social capital (μ=3.77) is significantly stronger than the  
need for self-expression (μ=3.40). This result provides new empirical evidence for the social integration theory  
of news consumption proposed by Abdesselam (2017). It is worth noting that the intensity of affective needs  
(μ=3.26-3.58) is significantly lower than expected. This discovery suggests that Nauman et al.'s (2020)  
multimedia emotional resonance hypothesis needs to be changed to include a cultural aspect.  
In the dimension of uses behaviour, the study found a clear "information-sharing" asymmetry. Information-  
seeking behaviour showed strong multimedia dependence (μ=3.80), which verified Ng & Omar's (2023)  
argument about timeliness needs; while information sharing behaviour was relatively restrained (μ=3.22), a  
difference that may be due to Malaysia's unique cultural communication. In terms of entertainment use, this  
study captured the subtle differences between "active relaxation" (μ=3.33) and "passive consumption"  
(μ=3.20), expanding the dimensions of traditional media use research.  
The analysis of the gratification shows three characteristics: first, there is a "form-function" paradox in content  
gratification, and the gratification of video elements (μ=3.68) is significantly higher than the pure multimedia  
preference (μ=3.39); second, social gratification is the most robust (μ=3.77), supporting Hup Xiao Hui, & Ker  
Yuek Li. (2018) discussion on the social function of media; finally, technical gratification shows a  
differentiation of "overall recognition-partial questioning", and the overall experience improvement (μ=3.72) is  
in sharp contrast with the specific function evaluation (μ=3.30).  
The Pearson correlation matrix analysis further confirmed the theoretical framework of this study, revealing  
that user needs, usage behavior and gratification experience are not isolated dimensions, but constitute a  
closely related organic system. Cognitive needs, affective needs, personal identity needs and technology needs  
are all strongly correlated (r>0.84), which verifies the theoretical assumption that multimedia news  
consumption behavior is driven by multiple needs, which often work together to affect user behavior and its  
results (Bahiyah et al., 2023). It is particularly noteworthy that the nearly perfect correlation between  
information seeking and information sharing behavior (r=0.907) indicates that the two are highly integrated in  
function, although the mean analysis shows that actual sharing behavior is significantly lower than  
information-seeking behavior, this "knowledge-behavior divergence" phenomenon suggests that although  
users generally agree on the value of information sharing, factors such as social norms or platform restrictions  
may inhibit actual sharing behavior. In addition, the high and stable correlation between various needs and  
gratifications dimensions (e.g., affective needs and entertainment gratification r=0.887; cognitive needs and  
technical gratification r=0.868) highlights the high fit between audience motivation and perceived benefits,  
which strongly supports the core view of the "use and gratification" theory. The research results show that  
optimizing multimedia content cannot only stay at the level of visual enhancement but also need to pay in-  
depth attention to the psychological and social needs that users subconsciously prioritize and can bring deep  
gratification.  
The main contribution of this study is mainly reflected in constructing a motivation map of multimedia news  
consumption in developing countries, Online news portals should propose a "cognitive-social" dual-core  
driving model while revealing the hierarchical differentiation phenomenon of technology gratification.  
Page 4960  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
Practical implications include it is recommended that news platforms focus on optimizing information  
visualization, developing social interaction functions, and implementing precise technical function iteration  
strategies. These findings not only enrich cross-cultural communication research and try to provide important  
references for the localization operation of digital journalism as well.  
CONCLUSION  
This study ultimately revealed that there are three key dimensions in the needs, uses, and gratifications of  
Malaysian online news users towards multimedia integration: first, at the functional level, the value of  
multimedia technology as a cognitive aid is the most prominent, which can effectively improve the  
comprehensibility of complex information; second, at the social and cultural level, multimedia content bears  
the dual functions of identity construction and community connection; finally, at the experience level, users  
show a dual expectation of both technical interactivity and content quality. These findings show that the media  
use behaviour of Malaysian users presents the characteristics of a typical blend of instrumental rationality and  
social  
rationality.  
The research findings have important practical implications: first, the development of multimedia functions  
should follow the principle of "content first" to avoid usage barriers caused by technical stunts; second, a  
cultural adaptation mechanism should be established to fully consider the cultural sensitivity of Malaysia's  
diverse ethnic groups; third, it is recommended to adopt an incremental.  
This study recommends that future studies employ different statistical methods with more sampling, such as  
structural equation modelling (SEM) and regression model analysis, to better understand this phenomenon.  
More focus on different demographic patterns would be very useful for multimedia news consumption.  
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  
This article builds upon the findings presented in the author's earlier work (Ng & Lee, 2025), published in the  
e-proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Humanities (PAPK2025)  
REFERENCES  
1. Awang, Asmaa and Hazahari, Noor Yuslida and Al-Saari, Nurhidayu (2023) A preliminary study on  
promoting e-book about halal industry framework in Malaysia for public awareness in Malaysia. In:  
4th International Conference on the Future of Asean 2023 (ICoFA 2023), Virtual Conference.  
2. Bujang, M. A., Omar, E. D., & Baharum, N. A. (2018). A review on sample size determination for  
Cronbach’s alpha test: a simple guide for researchers. The Malaysian journal of medical sciences:  
MJMS, 25(6), 85.  
3. Dhaanya, J., & Veerappan, V. (2022). Public awareness and government measures in tackling COVID-  
19 fake news in Malaysia. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Communication,  
Language, Education and Social Sciences (CLESS 2022) (pp.ꢀ229–238). Multilevel Publisher.  
4. Digital Business Lab. (2022). Social media penetration in Malaysia: Research 2022. Retrieved from  
https://digital-business-lab.com/2022/07/%E2%91%A1-social-media-penetration-in-malaysia-research/  
5. Fonseca, D. (2015). User experience and access using augmented and multimedia technologies: special  
issue of UXeLATE (2012) Workshop and HCI International Conference (2013) special  
sessions. Universal Access in The Information Society, 14(3), 307–310.  
https://doi.org/10.1007/S10209-014-0360-5  
6. Giambastiani, M., Wagner, J. W., & Dal Sasso Freitas, C. M. (2024). An evaluation of immersive  
infographics for news reporting: Quantifying the effect of mobile AR concrete scales infographics on  
volume understanding. arXiv.  
7. Hassan, S. A., Omar, B., & Ismail, N. (2023). Effects of message, medium, and motivational factors on  
news engagement and mobile news consumption: Evidence from Malaysia. Online Journal of  
Communication and Media Technologies, 13(3), e202325.  
8. Hup Xiao Hui, & Ker Yuek Li. (2018). An investigation of online news consumption behaviour of a  
Malaysian higher education institution: A case study of Southern University College. Proceedings of  
Page 4961  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue VII July 2025  
Media Communication, doi:10.17501/24246778.2018.4203  
9. Jerome, C., Hie, T. S., Hadzmy, A., & Raslie, H. (2023). Online news media consumption in Malaysia  
and Pakistan through the lenses of uses and gratification theory. Asia-Pacific Journal of  
Communication, 2023(1), 44–58.  
10. Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. The Public Opinion  
Quarterly.  
11. Liu, H. (2024). The Design and Execution of a Multimedia Information Intelligent Processing System  
Oriented to User Experience. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications,  
15(6). https://doi.org/10.14569/ijacsa.2024.0150694  
12. Morgan, D. L. (2011). Snowball sampling. In L. M. Given (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of  
qualitative research methods (pp. 815–816). SAGE Publications.  
https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909.n425  
13. Nevo, B. (1985). Face validity revisited. Journal of educational measurement, 22(4), 287-293.  
14. Ng, S. K., & Omar, B. (2023). Understanding online consumption of public affairs news in Malaysia:  
Credibility, social utility, and mobile use. Journal of Asia-Pacific Communication. Retrieved from  
ResearchGate.  
15. Omar, B., Ng, S. K., & Ismail, N. (2023). Effects of message, medium, and motivational factors on  
news engagement and mobile news consumption: Evidence from Malaysia. Online Journal of  
Communication and Media Technologies, 13(3), e202325.  
16. Reuters Institute. (2024). Digital News Report 2024: Malaysia. Retrieved from  
https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/malaysia  
17. Song, H., Healey, J., Siu, A., Wigington, C., & Stasko, J. (2023). Experts prefer text but videos help  
novices: An analysis of the utility of multi-media content. arXiv.  
18. Sunway University. (2025). Media relations in Malaysia’s digital age: Adapting to a changing  
landscape. Sunway Thinkpiece. Retrieved from  
https://sunwayuniversity.edu.my/explore/thinkpieces/media-relations-malaysias-digital-age-adapting-  
changing-landscape  
Page 4962  
www.rsisinternational.org