In the week Facebook turned six and announced its membership had passed 400 million, it's time to review what we know of the Facebook generation (Gen F).
This was also the week when commentators have realised that social networks and microblogging are more compelling among this group than old-fashioned blogs.
Our guide to Gen F is Stephen Davies, citing the One Young World initiative. Read his post.
My contribution to the discussion was to ask a group of first year students attending a 9am lecture about their media and communications usage so far today:
95% had sent or received a text message
10% had made or received a voice call
70% had listened to the radio
5% had watched TV
30% had used Facebook
0% had used Twitter
20% had read a newspaper
0% had bought a newspaper
I suspect those results – particularly the relatively low ranking for TV – would have looked very different if you’d been asking at 9pm rather than 9am?
Probably the results will be different. But this a good example, what these Gen. F. find more important.
If they would have had more time, they could even have bought a paper. But ‘early’ in the morning, you have to make a decision with what you start off your day.
These results are counter-intuitive to me. I would have assumed that more students would have read at least part of a newspaper, as free college newspapers are so popular and readily available throughout campuses. It also surprises me that so many had sent/received text messages that early in the morning. Thanks for the information.