Authors

• Suoninen, Annikka (Finnish Youth Research Society. Finnish Youth Research Network)

Keywords

children, digital games, internet, internet use, mass media exposure, mass media use, media literacy, mobile communication, news, reading (activity), television

Abstract

The barometer was collected as part of a research project funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland and it aimed to investigate children's media use and their relationship with the media in the year 2012. In the survey, media include television, the Internet, digital games, mobile phone, the radio and music, and print media. The target population of the survey were pupils on the fourth and sixth grades. The questionnaire for sixth graders was somewhat longer and more detailed than the one for fourth graders.

First, media devices in the respondents' home were charted as well as the frequency of watching television, videos or other recorded programmes and the types of programmes and videos watched. With regard to digital games (video games, including mobile games), the respondents were asked how often they played, who they played with, what kind of games they played, and what their favourite game was. Internet use was examined with questions about the frequency of use, activities and favourite type of content online (e.g. video clips, social media, email), favourite website, whether the respondents had an email address, social media profile, website or blog as well as what their opinions on some statements about Internet use were (e.g. "I think I'm a skilled Internet user", "My parents know what I do on the Internet").

Reading habits were investigated with questions about the frequency and types of books and magazines read. Frequency of listening to radio programmes and music was surveyed. The respondents were asked whether they owned a mobile phone, whether it had an Internet connection, and what they used the mobile phone for.

Finally, the respondents were asked questions charting the use of all media, such as how often they browsed advertisements for products or spent money online, how interested they thought parents or other adults at home were in hearing about their favourite media content, which media they talked about and used together with parents, and whether they had published their own content online. Sixth graders were further asked whether they had used media to have a say in an issue, how critical they were towards different media (e.g. "Reality TV shows do not have a script and they show things as they really happen"), whether there were discussions or arguments about media use or media content at home, and whether they had followed the previous presidential elections on different media and discussed the elections with different people.

Background variables included the respondent's grade level, gender, age, and major region of residence as well as whether they had a room of their own at home.