Media Use Diary 

Media is a particularly modern existence and to have such a dramatic influence on society demonstrates its power and significance. In researching my personal relationship with media it has demonstrated the impact media has on my life.

The table below is the data I collected on my media usage from a period of 10 days between 15.03.12 – 24.03.12

	15.03	16.03	17.03	18.03	19.03	20.03	21.03	22.03	23.03	24.03	Total
Facebook (Hrs.)	2.15	1.15	.30	1	2	2	2.5	2	2	.30	15.4
Twitter (Hrs.)	.05	.05	0	0	.12	.05	0	0	.05	0	0.32
Radio (Hrs.)	0	.13	2.20	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	6.33
Blogs (Hrs.)	.30	0	0	0	0	2	.30	1.5	1	0	5.1
Email (Hrs.)	.07	.02	0	.05	.15	.15	0	.05	.10	0	0.59
YouTube (Hrs.)	1	.30	0	1	.30	1	0	0	1.5	0	5.1
Total	3.57	2.1	2.5	2.05	4.57	5.2	2.8	3.55	4.65	2.3

Before investigating my time spent around media, I presumed I was quite distant from media compared to my peers of a young technological generation. I did not own a ‘twitter’ account nor did I ‘blog’, although the above graph (figure 1) illustrates the extensive amount of time I spend around all types of media.

Figure 1 illustrates the use of my most highly used media throughout a period of 10 days. It is evident from the information displayed on the graph that my time spent around media is predominantly around the social network “Facebook”. Facebook can be used for multiple purposes (calendar’s, news, events, advertisement etc.) although I use Facebook for no real reason other than viewing what friends are up to, where people are and general ‘snooping’. I don’t necessarily talk to friends or go on the website with purpose, rather just sit and watch the site, which is why I find surprising the extensive amount of time I spend on the Facebook.  

Television would usually be rated as a top media outlet that I use, however, I have recently moved to Brisbane and my current house has/had no television in the 10-day period of collecting this data. As I have recently had no television, my main source of news has come from radio. Usually I listen to my iPod when driving although because radio is where my news is coming from my radio has increased the last month as a result. However I still have less news coverage as normal as I only listen to radio in the car and I only drive 4 hours per week (between 2 days - to and from my hometown in Noosa for work).

                                           

Figure 2 compares my two highest media usages, Facebook and radio. From this graph it can be recognised that my use of Facebook declines until Saturday and the increases again on the weekdays and my radio usage is complete opposite. I believe this is due to myself driving 2 hours from Brisbane to my hometown for work. Therefore I had less time to be on Facebook as I worked and drove on weekends, thus increasing my radio usage on the weekend as I listened to it whilst driving.

                                           

Figure 3 represents where the 428 students from class JOUR1111 get majority of their news. I previously mentioned that currently I received news from the radio. 71.1 percent of JOUR1111 students receive their news from television, with 39.1 percent of students listening to news on radio, which is where my statistic’s fit. This calculates to out of the 428 students, 169 listen to radio for news, this is still a large majority of the class therefore my figures are expected.

Figure 3 graph also displays the amount of students receiving their news from online newspapers, a substantial 67.8 percent. From this statistic it is evident that ‘new media’ is a vastly growing industry as it’s a relatively new news outlet. Although currently I use traditional media for news, I expect to change to the growing majority getting news from online.   

Times are changing from traditional media to new media.

                                         

VERSES

Figure 4 represents where the class spends most time on the internet. Facebook is considerably high and when compared to my personal Facebook usage, shown in figure 1, it also shows that Facebook is my highest usage. Other relatively popular sites that match my time spent on the internet is blogs.  However a lot of the sites I never use, such as shopping, television, podcasts and news online. I would still shop, watch television and listen to radio traditionally and this is why I still view myself as more traditional media usage individual compared to my peers.

My relationship to communication and journalism is still in the old media approach. This can be seen throughout figure 1 where, although I use Facebook a lot, I receive news from radio and probably television (when I get one). I rely on radio not online news, twitter or streamed radio and television for my interaction with communication and journalism media.