An Analysis of Media Use and Media Practice Among Young People Aged Between 20 and 26 Years

Abstract: The study investigated how young people, aged between 20 and 26 years, use the media which is available to them, and how much time they spend on it on a weekday and on a weekend day. In addition to this, it identified which factors the people look for when they are about to choose which media is worth their time, and I found out which media or news user types the young people belong to. I believe that this target group includes the users of tomorrow which I find interesting. Hence, I decided to focus on their media habits in particular.The data was collected through the means of the media diary method since I strive to highlight the personal experiences of the participants. Five more in-depth interview questions followed the diary. Through the lens of the theory on worthwhileness, the data was analysed. From various dimensions of worthwhileness (Schrøder, 2010; Schrøder&Larsen, 2010), I tried to see which ones my participants could relate to, and which of the seven user types (Schrøder, 2010) they are part of.Results showed that not all the informants consume news in their everyday life but when they do so, it is mostly done through Facebook and Instagram or in a few cases, a newspaper’s website. Social media activities are given great importance by the young people, and from the various devices, they seem to prefer smartphone.Expanding on these findings, results also illustrated that accessibility, practical features offered by the technology, and that the media is easy to use are key for the young people. Participation is regarded as important: producing and sharing, commenting, or maybe discussing is a way for the people to express themselves. From seven user types, I identified four and my informants appreciate that they can get hold of the news and information very quickly and that the process is cheap.