Senior radio listeners: Users across the life course - and across media?

Publikation: KonferencebidragPaperForskningpeer review

Abstract

Radiobroadcasting and the hardware materialization of radio have during the 20th century changed significantly, which means that senior radio listeners have travelled along with this evolution from large, impressive radio furnitures to DAB and small, wireless, mobile devices, and from grave and solemn radio voices to lightharted, laughing and chatting speakers. Senior radio listerners have experienced the development and refinements of technique, content and genres. It is now expected of all media users that they are capable of crossing media, combining, juggling and jumping between various media platforms, not the least when listening to radio. The elder generation is no exception from this. Recently, for instance, the Danish public broadcast DR has carried out an exodus of programmes targeted for the senior segment. These programmes are removed from regular FM and sent to DAB receivers only, and this is forcing the older generations to obtain and use new technologies in their every day life, in their homes - and not in their cars. This example may testify to Trine Syvertsen´s claim that media producers (and media scholars) hate old people (Syvertsen 2010). But how do seniors react to the new media platforms, the changing media content, and how to they adapt to the expectations of media users moving seamlessly between different media platforms? How do they in their every day life listen to and interact with radio, and how has this practise of radio listening changed over the life course? I carry out a qualitative study of radio listening in a life course perspective, based on interviews with Danes above 70 years. In this presentation I will focus upon their abilities and attitudes to the current expected use of media across media, seen in the light of their life-long experience.ReferencesSyvertsen, T 2010. Medieforskerne hater gamle mennesker. Norsk Medietidsskrift årg. 17, vol. 4 : 381-91.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
Publikationsdato7 maj 2015
StatusUdgivet - 7 maj 2015
Udgivet eksterntJa

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