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Hypotheses were tested in a secondary data analysis of an experiment on selective exposure to positive and negative news articles about same-and differently aged individuals. A sample of 178 young (18–30 years) and 98 older adults (50–65 years) browsed an online news magazine while reading times were logged by software. Younger individuals (high status, high uncertainty) generally focused their reading on same-aged individuals, with a preference on positive news about this in-group. Older recipients (low-status, low uncertainty) were more likely to select negative news about young individuals than positive news about this out-group and negative news about older individuals. Furthermore, exposure to negative news about younger individuals bolstered older recipients' self-esteem.