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INTRODUCTION

This media use diary shows my typical media use habits over

a ten-day period. I recorded my media use habits by how

much time was spent engaging with each form of media

(rounding to the nearest 10 minutes) and have presented

my results in the following slides. The data collected

reveals patterns and trends in relation to my interaction

with journalism and communication.

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Total Media Use

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Methods of receiving News

Old Media

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Old Media vs New Media (News Consumption)

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Engaging with Media as a Prod-user

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Purpose for Media Use

EntertainmentEducationSocial Network-ingSituational

ANALYSIS: INITIAL OBSERVATIONS

By looking at the data presented, it can be seen that media

consumption plays a massive part in my every day life. Over

the ten-day period, media consumption took up at least 2

hours of my day, and at most, 13.5. On average, 7.5 hours

of a day was spent using media. This is reflective of the all-

pervasive nature of media: media is easily accessible, and it

is everywhere.

The form of media that recorded the most time was the

Internet, soon followed by TV.

When it came to receiving news, new media platforms such as

the Internet and my iphone were used far more than old

media platforms.

Media was mostly used for entertainment or social networking

purposes.

ANALYSIS: COMPARISON TO PEERS

As part of the major demographic of JOUR1111 (Female, aged

17-18), I expected my results to be similar to those of the

survey taken by my peers. Upon inspection, I found my

hypothesis to be mostly accurate, apart from spending a

slightly above average amount of time using the internet

and watching tv.

 

The data shows that we receive news mostly from TV and

online sources. My highest form was through my iphone

because I read the news while on public transport. However,

while I spend a relatively minimal amount of reading

newspapers (I read only one during the ten days), the

survey shows that 51.6% of students read the newspaper, a

rather high amount for a supposedly ‘doomed’ news source.

These results would indicate newspapers are not as

‘irrelevant’ as they are reported to be; however, a larger

sample size is required for conclusive results.

My online behavior closely followed that of my peers. As with 91.9% of my

peers, most of my online time was spent on social networking sites,

particularly Facebook. The importance of social networks is a defining

feature of my generation. Communication takes place on a person-to-

person basis as opposed to one person or a group of people communicating

with the masses. I noticed this, as much of the content I accessed online

was linked to me from Facebook friends or people I follow on twitter. This is

also reflected in the JOUR1111 survey data, with 48.4% of students

accessing news through facebook. This form of communication can be very

powerful as is evidenced in the cases of viral videos or the infamous Kony

campaign.

 

Portable devices such as smartphones and tablets play an ever-increasing role

in journalism and communication. As one of the 87.3% of students in the

class who own an internet-enabled smartphone, I am able to experience the

new communication opportunities portable devices can provide. Through

social networking apps (facebook, instagram, twitter) and news apps,

portable devices keep us connected and informed 24/7. The ever-increasing

presence and importance of these devices reflect society’s need for quick

and constant information and communication.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the data collected shows that digital forms of media

and the increased importance of social networks characterize

my relationship with journalism and communication. Because

my results largely reflect that of my peer group, the same can

be said about my generation. In today’s current society,

journalism and communication is all about being entertaining,

fast, social, accessible and constant.