Explosive growth in the number of options prompts media researchers to consider how selection behavior changes under higher choice conditions. Two experiments demonstrate that choice environments offering options in smaller sets lead users to be more likely to select news content, in particular "hard news" content. A third study incorporates theories of information processing to explain the observed effects of choice environment. The study provides evidence that smaller sets of options lead users to compare the merits of each option, whereas larger sets of options prompt users to quickly scan the environment for an acceptable option.