Media Use Diary

We all rely on media within our lives. We may not realise how much, or how little we use compared to other people in society. I have logged my media usage over a period of ten days, and was quite surprised at my limited media usage compared to what is available in the world of technology.

Below is a table of my media usage over a period of ten days (in minutes):

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><> <><><><><><>

Media	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7	Day 8	Day 9	Day 10
Facebook	45	15	30	45	60	60	120	120	30	60
Twitter	20	20	-	-	-	-	20	-	-	30
Blogging	15	60	-	40	-	-	20	-	-	30
Emailing	-	-	-	-	15	-	-	-	15	15
Online News	-	30	-	20	-	60	30	20	45	-
TV News	30	30	30	30	-	30	-	60	60	-

This table illustrates my media usage can be divided into three main categories.

1.       Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Email

2.       Online news

3.       TV news

Media Usage Groups Over 10 Day Period

(x = days, y = minutes)

It is obvious most of my usage lies within social media. Although I was aware of this before I logged, I did not notice the considerable difference. This is primarily because of ‘new’ media. With new media we are able to access news through almost any media outlet. As I am not from Brisbane, I often use Facebook to keep track of events occurring in my home town. It may not be the most detailed news, but it is available to me when I need it.

In a recent survey of 436 university students, it is clear a large amount of their media usage also lies within social media. The following shows social media split up into separate elements.

JOUR 1111 Survey – Social Media

The graph shows Facebook is the very prominent winner when it comes to media usage. 91.9% of students spend most of their internet time on Facebook. New media has a definite role in this. A huge 78.2% of students own a smart phone and 95.4% use Facebook as an app. This means Facebook can be accessed on the go at any time. I spend more time using the app than on my laptop, as I am usually on it when I am not home. This links with what I earlier mentioned, with Facebook also being a news tool for easy access.

It is interesting to note only 10% of students used Twitter. This was before we were required to join for our assessment. Although I never used Twitter before, I now check it almost daily. I would guarantee many other students would do the same. I often now use Twitter for news updates: news groups like Brisbane Times and Courier Mail have constant, quick news updates keeping me informed.

My media usage is not vast, but that may be because I have not been introduced to many media outlets. If I had not been required to join Twitter I probably never would have; now I realise what a convenience it is to have for updates. Although my main media use is social networking, new media provides a strong use of journalism and communication within all networks.