Young People's Ownership and Uses of New and Old Forms of Media in Britain and the Netherlands

Abstract

Using data obtained in a national survey carried out in Britain ( N = 1309) and the Netherlands ( N = 1355), this article compares British and Dutch children and young people aged 6-17 with respect to: (1) the availability of different media in children's homes, and particularly in the children's own room; (2) the amount of time spent on different media; and (3) the gratifications associated with the use of different types of media. Attention is paid to new forms of media (electronic games and the personal computer) as well as old forms of media (print media and television and video). Cross-national similarities and differences in ownership and uses of media are established, both for the whole 6-17 age group and for subgroups formed in terms of gender, age and socioeconomic status. Special attention is devoted to points where British children and young people are clearly differentiated from their Dutch peers.