Motivation Factors in Media Consumption of "Digital Youth" in Russia: Results of a Pilot Study

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Denis V. Dunas

PhD in Philology, Leading Researcher at the Chair of Media Theory and Economics, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

e-mail: dunas.denis@smi.msu.ru
Sergei A. Vartanov

PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Associate Professor at the Chair of Econometrics and Mathematical Methods in Economics, Moscow School of Economics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

e-mail: sergvart@gmail.com
Diana Yu. Kulchitskaya

PhD in Philology, Associate Professor at the Chair of New Media and Theory of Communication, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

e-mail: diana.kulchitskaya@gmail.com
Elena A. Salikhova

Lecturer at the Chair of Media Theory and Economics, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; ORCID 0000-0002-4158-7456

e-mail: ekostyuk19@gmail.com
Anna V. Tolokonnikova

PhD in Philology, Associate Professor at the Chair of Mass Media Theory and Economics, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

e-mail: a.tolokonnikova@mail.ru

Section: Sociology of Journalism

This paper summarizes the results of in-depth interviews conducted with Russian young people in the age bracket from 10 to 19. The research was aimed at studying media consumption of “digital youth” in Russia and identifying the factors influencing the choice of this or that media outlet. At the first stage of the project, 24 youths and girls were interviewed in three Russian cities: Moscow, Rostov-on-Don and Nizhny Novgorod. The results indicated that in the structure of youth media consumption online media are at the top, while traditional media either do not attract young people whatsoever or stay in the background. In the course of the study, it was found that today social networks and online media are not merely a platform for communicating and satisfying basic information needs but are also involved in youth’s self-actualization. Creating videos and other types of content for different online platforms is an activity which is part of creative self-expression and a search for identity. The pilot study conducted makes it possible to envisage all the possible answers for the closed questions and include them into the questionnaires of a mass representative survey of all groups of youth, which is to be carried out at the next stage of the study.

Keywords: “digital youth”, media consumption, motivation factors, media, media needs, media socialization, self-actualization
DOI: 10.30547/vestnik.journ.2.2020.327

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