Sirkku Kotilainen

University of Tampere

sirkku.kotilainen@uta.fi

22.9.2010

The Power of Media = Publicity

The pluralist concept of publicity: people can be visible all in

full difference at the same time (f.ex. in youth cultures online)

Today, the young are seen as active, participatory audiences

sharing and exchanging information, ideas, experiencing as

media consumers and public agents

(cf. Arendt 1958; McQuail 2000)

22.9.2010

How about mainstream media?

Mainly, the young are presented as victims or top experts,

for example as the winners of different competitions, i.e.

from the view points of adults

(cf.Raundalen & Steen 2002; Unga i media 2002).

For the young, it is challenging to reach the cross

generational publicity, for example initiating discussions

on political matters (Kotilainen & Rantala 2008; 2009).

Youth Voice Editorial Board, Helsinki

It works as a news agency delivering material and stories to different media.

Young people in Helsinki produce media content into the mainstream media:

public discussions and debates with experts and politicians on topical issues

important to them. The teens are trained to write articles and produce TV

programs with the help of professionals, leading journalists and youth workers.

22.9.2010

Youngsters participating in Youth Voice

Editorial Board 2007 (Kotilainen & Rantala 2008):

”We are not visible in the media! I want to become visible. I

want to have my say.” (girl, 14)

“The media does not take youth seriously. They pigeonhole us:

Youth are interested in nothing, we break the law etc…"Youth

Voice" is only heard in youth media.” (girl, 15)

22.9.2010

Four Types of Civic Identities of Young People in

Relation to Media

Activists: the young

who have common

issues they want to

make public and public

spaces to act

Communicators: connected via media to

communities, do not see

this interaction in political

terms

Strong Mediated Civic

Connectedness

Communalists: influence in their own

small life sphere, do not

consider more public

acting important

Seekers: looking for civic

issues to engage,

communities to connect and

spaces to act

Thin Mediated Civic

Connectedness

Strong Civic

Self-Image

Thin Civic

Self-Image

(Kotilainen & Rantala 2009)

Critical tones towards media: examples from

media diaries, April 2010

I visited – again – the online newspaper and read some

interesting news. Many of the news were about the chaos

caused by the ash cloud [from a volcanic eruption in

Iceland]. When reading about Finnair [Finnish airplane

company] I couldn‟t avoid thinking whether the media

was treating it in a unfair manner, after all the company

had tried to get the stucked passangers to Finland by for

example sending busses to Germany, and they had not

left them totally without help (urban girl 14, Finland)

...But friends, many unlawful activities are also done

through media which can harm the reputation of the

country. - - - Today‟s children use internet, mobile, phone

etc and also use the hacking software to destroy the

businesses of people. - - - Due to this the citizens of our

country are not permitted to go abroad. The people of

other countries also refuse to do business with us

(urban boy 14, India)

So I turned on the radio. They were talking about school

holiday that pupils and students were about to start. How

they should behave at home, what kind of friends they

should have and walk with. I was glad with Citizen FM on

their good work. You are really hoping the youth to know

what to do at the right time. (Kenya, urban female 14)

22.9.2010

Youths' interest in societal issues via media are seemingly not

dependent on the technical device. The difference seems to be the

mode of participation, dependent on access to media (at least).

Worldwide, media should take seriously youngsters' willingness to

participate.

(Kotilainen, Suoninen, Hirsjärvi, Kolomainen 2010, coming)

Lähteet

Arendt, Hannah (1958) The Human Condition. University of Chicago Press.

Kotilainen, Sirkku & Rantala, Leena (2008) Nuorten kansalaisidentiteetit jamediakasvatus. Nuorisotutkimusverkoston julkaisuja.

Kotilainen, Sirkku & Rantala. Leena (2009) „From Seekers to Activists: Characteristics of youth civic identities in relation to media.‟ Information, Communication & Society 12:5, 658-677.

Kotilainen, Sirkku, Suoninen, Annikka, Hirsjärvi, Irma, Kolomainen Sara (2010): Youngsters‟ Expressions of Responsible Citizenship through Media Diaries. NORDICOM Yearbook, Coming.

McQuail, D. (2000) McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. Sage Publications.

Raundahlen M. ja Steen J. V. 2002. Children in newspapers: A World Survey. World Association of Newspapers.

Unga i media 2002. Ungdomsstyrelsen. Ungdomsstyrelsens skrifter2002:3. http://www.tidningeniskolan.se/uploaded/document/2003/7/7/Unga_i_media_Ungdomsstyrelsen.pdf