Personal Media Use Diary

Media is an undeniably imperative facet of our daily lives. Daily, our media dependence increases, making us more reliant on modern technologies. Addiction to social media mediums is becoming more socially prominent, as these are becoming a common and crucial vessel for communication, photo and news sharing and event planning. Another social phenomenon,  ‘micro-blogging’, instills in us traits of self-entitlement and egotism. Twitter is an example of this, more than happy to enable such exploits of sanctimoniousness.

On an interpersonal level, my main media usage lies with that of a social media variety (see pie graph below). I unashamedly love Facebook; I don’t know a 17 year old who doesn’t. It’s not that I don’t have a social life, I do, and I promise not all of it’s online. But it’s also a news outlet. Whenever a significant event occurs, people share articles and links and also disguise their personal opinions as ‘status updates’. I find this a brilliant form of citizen journalism and that reading other people’s opinions on a certain matter gives me a balanced view. 

Considering 40% of my daily media usage is using Skype and Facebook, it is possible that I may be a little addicted. However, my JOUR1111 cohort is likeminded, with 97.3% of us social-media junkies having at least one Facebook account.

Whilst I do spend an undeniably large amount of time checking my Facebook newsfeed, there is a subtle underlying current in my thought process of increasing my knowledge of global issues. 48.4% of JOUR1111 students use Facebook as a news site too. 

Twitter is an online media channel. Personally, I follow the New York Times, CNN and Brisbane Times, which keep me up-to-date with breaking news. Concurrently, I also ‘follow’ my favorite reporters: Isabella Robinson (Channel 10), Christiane Amanpour (CNN) and Rosie Garthwaite (Middle Eastern reporter). I don’t ‘tweet’ much, but it facilitates my being kept ‘in the loop’ on a local and international level. I love news and social connectivity. I read the paper (The Australian) every day, but even by 9am there is more and more happening in the world, and I cannot bear to be left in the lurch. I am a self-confessed journalism addict, even if I must live vicariously through those much more experienced than myself.

Without JOUR1111 I wouldn’t have become such an active member of the Twitter community (I did previously have an account but barely ever logged in). It does make me feel a little famous too; 220 odd followers, #hashtags and feeling like my opinion and posts actually have a purpose (if not, I have that “but it’s for assessment, I’m not doing this to increase my self-esteem” excuse). Before JOUR1111, only 29.2% of us has a twitter account, but now i'd say it's close to 100%. I think most of us would concur that it's for the better!

 Twitter adds value to the media community. Having such accessible and sometimes informal news platforms is a social privilege. Our formal platforms are still in existence (television news, newspapers and magazines) but so are these informal social platforms, which are more appealing and accessible to the everyday person.

Whilst Skype does appear to consume a large portion of my daily media usage, I am sorry to report that this is for no journalistic reason. It does, however, prove something about our global interconnectivity and communication advances. I spend, on average, 1 to 3 hours per night Skyping my boyfriend. He is my only Skype contact, however embarrassing that may be to admit, but Skype allows us to call and video chat with each other for free, on the one proviso that our internet speed and connection is reasonable. Thankyou internet. 

Under the communication umbrella, email has had a similar effect. I receive about 10 emails a day (related to university and personal use) to each of my 3 operational accounts. I use these solely for communication purposes because they’re free and convenient. We no longer need to write letters, pick up the phone or send carrier pigeons; everything is done through our smartphones and laptops. Communication is becoming easier, cheaper and practically faultless.

Of the JOUR1111 cohort, only 23% do not have a smartphone of some brand.

My iPhone, love of my life, is glued to my hand. With it, I can access Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr anywhere, anytime. Seems like my cohort likes these capabilities too (see below). 

In terms of Internet usage, I spend an average of 7.8 hours a day online, or using other forms of media (that’s actually quite a lot, I had no idea until now!). My anomalies, however, are in terms of radio and television usage. Shown below, I watch no television nor listen to any radio, whereas majority of my cohort use both mediums daily.

 I know I am addicted to media and communication but as budding journalists, it’s required of us. Facebook is a social network but it is undeniably a news platform, one that facilitates news sharing and user interest. Whilst it may not be as formal and reputable as other platforms, it still exists and operates within society. Depending on who you follow, Twitter is also a news website, allowing us to post links, photos and personal opinions. Using Twitter as a part of this course has really opened my eyes to how convenient and effective it is. 

As I sit here in the Great Court, I just overhead one girl say to another “hang on what’s your name? I’ll add you on Facebook!” Primarily, Facebook and Skype have unquestionably reinvented online communication and news sharing, in the same way that blogs (including Twitter, Blogger and Tumblr) have revitalised the news industry. News, by nature, is instantaneous and the internet is a platform which can facilitate this.