Journal #2: How Teenagers Consume Media

Robson, M. (2009, July 13). How teenagers consume media:

the report that shook the city.Retrieved July 22, 2009,

from guardian.co.uk Web site: http://www.guardian.co.

uk/business/2009/jul/13/teenage-media-habits-morgan-

stanley

Although Michael Robson’s article may not be the most scholarly, as it does not seem to be based on any actual survey or monitoring of teenagers’ usage of media and technology, however it is interesting. It gives good insights into a firsthand teenage perspective on media and technology. After reading the article, I am under the impression that in general, teenagers in the UK would like to have the cheapest, most easily accessible technology, and they do not want to put up with advertisements. Additionally, most teenagers seem to be very willing to illegally obtain their media through such outlets as music and movie downloading sites. It also seems as though teenagers are very aware of what they need and what is worth their money. According to Robson (2009), they do not often have Internet capable cellular phones or excessive cable television subscriptions because it is simply not necessary. I was happy to see this opinion, as my impression of some teenagers has been that they want they biggest and the best, regardless of whether or not they need it.

Why might this article have “caused a stir” once it was published by Morgan Stanley?

I feel that people generally assume that material is written and published by people with some kind of credibility. For example, doctors write medical articles, financial analysts write finance articles, and journalists generally understand the conventions of writing and checking the facts of their writing. The fact that this article was written by a fifteen year old boy with little training and background in the field of technology could have caused some to have question Morgan Stanley's decision to publish his writing. In addition to being written by a fifteen year old, the article may also have been criticized for stating that certain brands, carriers, and devices are better or more popular than others without actually doing a survey or study.

Are there aspects of the article that might be inaccurate or representative only a certain group of teenagers?

A few aspects of Robson's article may accurately apply to teenagers, but may only apply to a certain group of teenagers, those that Robson is exposed to at school and in his social group. It is likely that he and the teenagers that he is interacting with all fall into the same social class and live in the same area. Because of this, the information that he presented might only pertain to this group. For example, wealthier children might take advantage of more advanced and expensive gaming systems and television cable networks because they feel that they offer more and they can afford them.