News Media Use and Gen X
A marked difference between politically involved and non-politically involved
- Politically Involved: “Multiple Media” information strategy
- Non-politically involved: A greater “loyalty” to one type of media or news source
Notes:
Interviewed Gen Xers from around the Lower Mainland, being careful to select politically active (usually meant activist, to get extreme cases) and non-politically active, married and single (and other life-cycle issues), and a wide age range from 20 (my y
Asked them about media use and preferences, news media use preferences, traditional political behaviours (voting patterns and attitudes, belonging to political parties, etc)
There was a marked difference between politically involved and non politically invovled (Recall that Xers are supposed to be media savvy and easy with all media) -- paralleled politicization/maturation theory
Tended to follow a political/educated theme: the more politically involved usually the higher educated, usually used a multiple-media strategy of information gathering (Objective Media Use: To get a balanced perspective on issues, even with views don’t ag
The less politically involved (i.e., voted occasionally) the more likely to use one media source (Loyal Media Use: that fit with person’s POV of world)
Pol. involved: used news 1) strategically 2) much less as entertainment
Non involed: less of a sense of duty and more to “veg out” to (belonging to a group (i.e., Church) increases sense of duty andb cmnty. attachment, therefore increases use.