Young Audiences Research Articles

Youth Engagement: A Key Driver in the Growth of OTT Platforms

The current research project investigates the vital role of young participation in the rapidly expanding realm of streaming platforms (OTT) platforms. Younger audiences have been the primary driver of the rise in popularity of streaming services, while traditional TV networks are facing a decline in viewing. This article examines the mechanisms that have led to this shift in young viewing habits and tastes, and it also addresses the wider ramifications for the media industry. Key findings show that social media integration, accessibility, and a variety of material are essential for drawing in young viewers, suggesting that traditional channels need to change in order to stay competitive.

Short videos, big impact: How Chinese youth perceive and engage with news on short video platforms

In the contemporary media landscape in China, short video platforms (SVP) have emerged as significant news sources, especially among young audiences. Anchored in an understanding of news literacy as situated knowledge, this study investigates how Chinese youth (aged 13–18) perceive and engage with news content on these platforms. Based on qualitative interviews with 30 middle and high school students across five provinces in China, we found that 1) participants wanted short video news to be objective and straightforward, and felt that the affordances of short video platforms detract from these values; 2) they reported using news literacy skills when consuming short video news, but the strategies they shared were problematic; and 3) they were reluctant to engage with news content online and preferred to discuss it offline with people they trust. This study sheds light on the complex and often contradictory news consumption engagement and practices among Chinese youth on SVPs.

Efficacy of digital interventions for smoking prevention among children: a systematic review

Abstract Background Smoking remains a leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with initiation often occurring in childhood. Early smoking onset is linked to increased difficulty in quitting and higher risk of long-term health complications. Traditional prevention strategies have not fully succeeded in curbing youth smoking rates, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. Digital interventions (DI), such as gamified education, social media campaigns, and virtual reality, offer a novel avenue for engagement and education. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of DI in preventing smoking, and improving knowledge and awareness about smoking damages, among children. This review is part of the PRIN project, whose goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of a DI aimed at school-aged children, intended to increase knowledge about the negative effects of smoking and prevent its use. Methods On the 18th of March 2024, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO were surfed for trials and observational studies evaluating DI for smoking prevention among children aged 6-12 years. Study quality will be evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and New Castle-Ottawa scale. The protocol has been registered in PROSPERO. Results From 3,081 initially identified articles, 328 papers were removed because duplicate. The screening process is ongoing. Conclusions DI are a promising tool for engaging young populations through platforms they are familiar with and receptive to. By leveraging the high penetration of digital technology in the daily lives of children, these interventions have the potential to deliver smoking prevention messages in a compelling and interactive manner. Understanding the effectiveness of DI in smoking prevention can significantly contribute to public health by providing viable alternatives to traditional methods and potentially reducing future smoking-related health burdens. Key messages • Evaluating digital strategies for smoking prevention among children could offer vital alternatives to traditional methods, potentially reducing long-term health risks. • Digital interventions (DI) offer promising new ways to engage young audiences on smoking prevention using familiar platforms, potentially reshaping public health approaches.

Digital interventions to prevent smoking habit among children. Is there evidence?

Abstract Smoking remains one of the foremost preventable causes of death and disease on a global scale, with its roots often traced back to early childhood. The habit typically begins at a young age, setting a pattern that becomes increasingly difficult to break over time. This enduring issue highlights the critical need for effective preventive measures. Traditional approaches to curbing smoking among the youth-such as public health campaigns, school-based education, and legislative measures like age restrictions on tobacco purchases-have had limited success. In this context, digital interventions (DIs) have begun to emerge as a promising new frontier for tobacco prevention. Leveraging the pervasive influence of technology in young people’s lives, these interventions include gamified educational programs, which transform learning about the dangers of smoking into interactive and engaging activities; social media campaigns, which can spread powerful anti-smoking messages quickly and broadly; and virtual reality experiences, which immerse users in scenarios that vividly illustrate the impact of smoking on health. These digital strategies not only offer fresh avenues for conveying important health information but also engage young audiences in a medium they find relatable and compelling. In this context, the presentation will discuss results of a systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of DI in preventing smoking, and improving knowledge and awareness about smoking damages, among children. This review is part of the PRIN project, titled: “Leo&Giulia standing for public health”, whose goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of a DI aimed at school-aged children, intended to increase knowledge about the negative effects of smoking and prevent its use. Grasping the impact of DI in smoking prevention can greatly benefit public health by offering practical alternatives.

Impersonal Sex and Pornography: Potential Confounding, Moderation, and Implications for Public Health

ABSTRACT Following the recent exhortations of health communication scholars to continue the study of pornography and its potential impact on health-related behaviors, the present study investigated associations between the frequency of pornography use and six indicators of impersonal sex among a national probability sample of US adults. Impersonal sex has been linked to a variety of important public health outcomes, including STD risk and sexual aggression perpetration. In this study, pornography use was positively correlated with the likelihood of engaging in group sex, having sex with a casual partner, having sex without emotional intimacy, experiencing heightened sexual pleasure during non-relational sex, relational infidelity, and perceiving the receipt of sexual pleasure from others as the best thing about sex. No evidence emerged that these associations were spuriously due to high sex drive individuals being both more likely to consume pornography and engage in impersonal sex. But several were conditional on age. Most importantly, countering the conventional wisdom that sexual media are most likely to affect the sexual behavior of young audiences, the strength of the positive association between pornography use and the likelihood of engaging in group sex and casual dyadic sex was larger among older adults and weaker among younger adults.

THE HERITAGE OF VLADIGEROV – THE MUSEUM UP CLOSE

The preservation, scientific processing and presentation of the rich material and musical heritage of the classic Bulgarian composer Pancho Vladigerov are the main goals of the Pancho Vladigerov House Museum – Sofia. In fulfillment of Vladigerov's will and thanks to the donative gesture of his wife, Mrs. Elka Vladigerova, today the composer’s former home houses his archive, painstakingly collected by him throughout his life. The diversity and uniqueness of the collections in the museum's holdings are a prerequisite for the development of thematic documentary exhibitions, educational programs, and multi-genre concerts, as well as many accompanying events that attract young audiences and introduce them to the composer's personality and the recognition he received as a leading figure in Bulgarian musical culture, as well as on a European and global scale. The team’s work is focused on turning the house that has preserved the unique atmosphere of Vladigerov's home in the capital's Lozenets district at 10 Yakubitsa Street into an attractive cultural center.

Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumers in Philippines

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of social media marketing on consumers in Philippines. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The impact of social media marketing on consumers in the Philippines reveals that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter significantly influence purchasing behavior, especially among younger audiences. Studies show that Filipino consumers are highly engaged with brands on social media, where personalized content, influencer marketing, and customer interaction drive brand loyalty and product awareness. Social media also facilitates quicker decision-making, as consumers rely on peer reviews and recommendations before making purchases. However, challenges include issues with data privacy and the oversaturation of promotional content, which can lead to consumer fatigue. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Theory of planned behavior (TPB), uses and gratifications theory (UGT) & social influence theory may be used to anchor future studies on the impact of social media marketing on consumers in Philippines. Companies should invest in analytics tools to understand consumer preferences, enabling them to create more personalized and engaging content. Policymakers should develop regulations that ensure transparency in social media advertising and influencer endorsements, particularly in areas like disclosure of paid partnerships.

Young Chileans Evaluate the News in order to decide how to Vote in 2022

Based on the call for the mandatory vote of young Chileans to approve or reject the draft of a new constitution for Chile in 2022, this research explored how they informed themselves about this political process and what was their assessment of the news to make their electoral decision. An ad-hoc quantitative survey was designed, applied online in 2023, to which 183 participants between 18 and 24 years old, mostly higher education students, responded. Young people consider it very important to vote in an informed manner, they are interested in current affairs, they value the professional work of journalists and they searched for news about the constitutional process. However, for more than half of them, the news did not respond to their interests. This finding is particularly relevant, since when asked what quality news is for them, they refer to information that responds to their needs. It is likely that the news industry does not sufficiently consider this young audience, which constitutes an opportunity to get to know their interests.

The Study about the Impact of Douyin on Youth Culture and Consumption Behavior

This paper explores the significant influence of Douyin on youth culture and consumption behavior. Through a detailed case discussion and analysis of theoretical perspectives, it highlights the tension between content homogenization and multicultural expression. This tension is driven by personalized content tailored specifically for individual users, with core processes revolving around big data analytics and algorithmic recommendation systems. These systems raise ethical considerations in influencer marketing. The study reveals that the platform’s phenomenally popular cultural content amplifies the influencer economy and intensifies societal phenomena, such as the spectacle of society, which impact the cultural identity and consumption preferences of young people. The paper offers a series of recommendations based on these insights. Firstly, it suggests strategies for content diversification to combat the homogenization trend and promote a richer tapestry of cultural expression. Secondly, it emphasizes the need to reinforce ethics in influencer marketing to ensure that young audiences are not exploited or misled. Lastly, it advocates for measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the Society of the Spectacle on youth culture and consumer behavior. These recommendations aim to cultivate a more balanced digital ecosystem and facilitate a healthier and more democratic communicative environment. By implementing these strategies, Douyin can foster a platform that supports diverse cultural expressions while protecting and empowering its young users.

The Impact of Inside Out on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents

This paper examines the impact of the film Inside Out on enhancing emotional self-awareness among children and adolescents. The research background highlights the current challenges young people face in recognizing and managing their emotions, exacerbated by social media and modern life pressures. The paper identifies a specific problem: the difficulty children and adolescents encounter in understanding their emotions amidst high stress and unrealistic online comparisons. Inside Out is proposed as a solution, offering a clear framework by personifying emotions-Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust-as characters to simplify complex emotional processes. The research findings demonstrate that Inside Out significantly aids in emotional self-awareness by illustrating the value of all emotions and their roles in personal development. Key scenes in the film, such as the conflict between Joy and Sadness and the depiction of core memories shaping personality traits, provide concrete examples of how emotions influence behavior and decision-making. These visual representations help children understand that experiencing a range of emotions is natural and necessary for emotional balance. The paper concludes that Inside Out effectively reduces emotional confusion and enhances self-awareness by portraying emotions as integral and purposeful components of mental processes. This research is significant as it underscores the educational value of media in emotional learning and suggests that Inside Out serves as a powerful tool for improving emotional cognition and mental health among young audiences.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Dermatological Research and Healthcare: British Society for Investigative Dermatology Skin Club Report - Southampton April 2024.

The British Society for Investigative Dermatology champions the development of clinical trainees and early career researchers and convenes the UK skin research community at its annual meeting. It is the privilege of the meeting organiser (Dr. Chester Lai) to invite key opinion leaders to speak at the “Skin Club” section of the meeting, a forum for dialogue with this young audience on disruptive advances that stand to shape skin science. This year in Southampton, the topic “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Dermatological Research and Healthcare”, was selected.

New Age Mages: An Interactive Way to Explore and Subvert Gender Biases

From a young age, children are exposed to societal standards of gender and gender roles and, by extension, inherent sex-based biases, which can become inculcated into their worldview. These biases affect their daily lives negatively in ways that can seem almost natural unless specifically pointed out. Table Top Role Playing Games (TTRPGs) are pen-and-paper games that revolve around collaborative storytelling in a shared, collectively imagined and built world, usually involving 2 to 5 players. TTRPGs provide a safe, controlled environment to mimic social interactions in a way that video games and other forms of media cannot. This paper introduces a new TTRPG, New Age Mages, aimed at a younger audience, with the goal of introducing the concept of biases and helping them to see things from a different perspective. In New Age Mages, players interact with a world where magic is commonplace as students that have recently unlocked their magic, while a Game Master (GM) narrates the world as determined by the players’ choices. The game’s magic system allows it to mimic the influence and/or impact of modern-day gender roles and biases without referring to them directly while remaining simple and easy to learn for a new player. The game also aims to subtly incentivise the Players to make decisions that would be different from what they might usually make, and promote trying to understand the others’ points of view. We believe this game will be useful for those seeking to help children gain a better understanding of gender roles and their subversion. We use a questionnaire based on the Gender Role Attitudes Scale (GRAS) to measure the impact gameplay has on players’ ideas of gender roles. We also test the game with some initial gameplay experiments among a smaller audience that is more familiar with TTRPGs and present the results. Our work explores not only the ability of TTRPGs to influence perspectives and opinions, but also doing so specifically in the space of understanding gender roles among a younger audience.

Design and Development of an Immersive Virtual Reality Serious Game With Biofeedback for Physiological Regulation: Alice, Beyond Reality

The adolescence period is characterized by significant changes in individuals' lives, which can lead to various emotional and behavioural problems. Therefore, it is important for young adults to have tools for self-regulation, understanding, and controlling their physiological symptoms. Integrating these tools as gamified elements into new technologies is a way to engage a younger audience. In recent years, the effectiveness of immersive Virtual Reality has been repeatedly demonstrated in fields such as Psychology and Education. The combination of this technology with biosensors enables individuals to be aware of their real-time physiological states. This physiological monitoring can lead to adaptations in applications based on the individual's emotional state, for example. This work describes the design and development of an immersive Virtual Reality game whose main interaction is through biofeedback. The game is called "Alice, Beyond Reality", and its objective is to help young adults learn to self-regulate their physiological responses. The game draws inspiration from the well-known story of "Alice in Wonderland". In this story, the Queen of Hearts has transformed all the characters into cards, and the players must help them escape before it's too late. To achieve this, the players are guided by the White Rabbit through different levels where interaction through physiology is key. For instance, the players must learn to increase and decrease their heart rate to solve puzzles that allow them to progress to the next level. Throughout the game, gamification elements such as points, progressive difficulty, and various challenges are included to motivate the players to continue advancing in the game. Through the biofeedback system, the players become aware of their physiological changes to control them voluntarily. In the final screen, the players are shown their progression throughout the game so they can recognize their evolution. In the near future, an initial validation with users will be conducted to assess the usability and functionality of the game.

Using extended reality technologies in modern museums

This study explores the nature, core features, and evolution of extended reality (XR) technologies in the 21st century, focusing on their potential in the museum context. It examines academic research and representative examples of cultural heritage enhancement from international museum practices. The specific characteristics and properties of each technology within XR’s broader scope, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality, are identified and analyzed. In addition, the study explores designs or case studies of these technologies’ application in the museum environment, including the emerging Metaverse, which blends VR and AR within the same broader conceptual framework. Furthermore, the study examines why these innovative technologies resonate with museums and assesses their impact on relational communication between modern museums and the public, particularly younger audiences. It also highlights limitations or obstacles to their widespread adoption of XR technologies in museums, while outlining future prospects for their integration. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive overview of XR’s use in museums, focusing on how these technologies enhance cultural values. It offers reflection and suggestions for authors and museum professionals regarding the design and implementation of XR technologies in modern museums.

Digital Narratives: The Evolution of Storytelling Techniques in the Age of Social Media

This article discusses the evolution of storytelling techniques in the era of social media through the approach of digital storytelling. Digital storytelling is a method of conveying narratives that combines elements of images, text, audio, and video to create a more engaging storytelling experience. This research indicates that digital storytelling can enhance the literacy skills of the younger generation in Indonesia, which faces challenges related to low reading interest. With advancements in information technology and widespread internet access, digital platforms such as vlogs and podcasts can be utilized to introduce stories to young audiences. The research methodology employed is a literature review, gathering data from various relevant sources. The findings suggest that digital storytelling is effective in increasing literacy interest among the younger generation and has the potential to serve as an innovative educational tool. This article aims to provide a deeper understanding of the evolution of digital storytelling within the context of contemporary social media.

Race-ing Masculinity

Studies about representations of Latinidad in US and European media have identified stereotypes like criminalization and hypersexualization. Furthermore, it has been argued that comedy operates as a double-edged sword in exposing racism, as humor can be deployed to simultaneously mask/justify and show/denounce racial discrimination and monolithic representations of Latinidad. Using a feminist intersectional perspective that foregrounds constructions of masculinities and racialization/migration as exclusionary factors, this essay discusses how RTVE Playz, the digital platform of the Spanish public television aimed at young audiences, represents Latinidad in its series Riders (2021). Situated within the dynamics of racialization in Spain, Riders stands out as an example of dark humor that both complicates and reinforces stereotypes. Through a close reading of the series, we assess its response to current social, political and cultural citizenship challenges.

The design space of visualization tools for data science education: literature review and framework for future designs

Data science education is a rapidly growing field, motivating the development of several tools aimed at engaging students in data-related activities across all educational levels. Within this landscape, new block-based programming (BBP) environments have been developed to integrate data visualization functionalities. However, the construction of visualizations entails distinct goals and forms of interaction from those typically used in conventional programming, which should be considered in designing those environments. Drawing inspiration from taxonomies within the field of Information Visualization, we derived a framework for the analysis of educational tools in this domain comprising four categories: supported goals, expressiveness, abstraction, and transparency. We situate six existing BBP environments within the design space of the framework and illustrate its application by describing the design of [anonymized tool], a BBP environment developed to address a gap in data visualization tools for young audiences. Our goal is to contribute to a more theoretically grounded discussion on the topic by bridging the gap between well-established research on professional tools for data visualization and the design of related educational environments targeted at middle and high school students.

Understanding reaction to corporate activism: The moderating role of polarization.

In our polarized societies, more companies are taking a stand on divisive sociopolitical issues. However, given the mixed findings from previous studies, it remains unclear whether Corporate Activism (CA) is more likely to hurt or help a company's performance and reputation, or shape the public's attitudes toward the sociopolitical issue involved. To better understand the impact of CA in polarized societies, it is valuable to study moderating factors, especially those linked to polarization. A meta-analysis of 72 scholarly works is conducted to examine the impact of CA on various outcomes (e.g. ads and social media engagement, cognitive and attitudinal reactions, public's intentions and actions, emotional reactions, social and ethical engagement, workplace, and employee perceptions) and the role of moderators (a sociopolitical issue's political leaning and controversy level, political orientation of the target audience, key demographics). The analysis reveals a positive, albeit small, effect size (0.085 [95% CI (0.0542, 0.1158)]) with the most impact on two outcomes: cognitive and attitudinal reactions, and emotional reactions. It further reveals that companies adopting liberal-leaning CAs elicit more favorable responses than those adopting conservative CAs and that liberals respond positively to CA, while conservatives are more neutral. However, when there is alignment between the CA's political leaning and the audience's political orientation, conservatives have a stronger positive response than liberals. Also, younger audiences view CA more positively. Finally, per national culture, while power distance and individualism positively moderate the reaction to CA, uncertainty avoidance has a negative effect.

Getting help early: An online mental health self-assessment tool for young people.

Online self-assessments are becoming more popular. They can serve as a screening tool for specific conditions or assess mental health more broadly but often lack in depth evaluation. This study presents preliminary data from an online self-assessment tool for young people within the age range of 12-30 years (Link: redcap.hmri.org.au/surveys/?s = MK7RCELJ79). It covers key symptoms of mood and psychotic disorders and risk factors, such as eating issues, substance use, suicidality, and deliberate self-harming behaviours. Participants self-assessed their level of functioning, access to ongoing interventions, and satisfaction with the help received. Based on the severity of mental health problems and the level of risk, different recommendations of how to seek help were provided. Out of 303, 114 participants gave permission to analyse their data. A high-risk profile was defined by anxiety symptoms, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, and urges to self-harm. These individuals were more likely to report psychotic or depression symptoms, recreational substance use and low day-to-day functioning. Ongoing treatment and the satisfaction with it were not determined by the severity of symptoms. These preliminary results suggest that the online self-assessment tool reaches the intended young audience, particularly those with some degree of mental health problems.

Exploring the Adoption of Reels and Short Videos in the Nigerian News Industry

The advancement in digital technologies has indeed changed the consumption and delivery of news. Through the nature and operations of the web ecosystem, short videos and reels can be regarded as a kind of news delivery due to the features they possess for news curation and dissemination. This paper focused on analyzing the potential of utilizing short videos and reels in reaching young audiences in the news media industry and the extent to which news media organizations have embraced the use of short videos and reels. Drawing from the Diffusion of Innovations theory, this study aimed at identifying the process through which news organizations adopt short videos and reels. Considering the research questions posed, an exploratory research design was adopted. For this study, the in-depth interview method was adopted with a purposive sample of ten (10) professionals drawn from different news organizations in Nigeria. The sample comprised two participants from strictly-online news organization, Legit NG Lagos; four participants from television stations, NTA Kaduna and Galaxy TV Kaduna; three participants from print news organization, Daily Trust, Abuja and The Nation, Lagos; and finally one participant from a radio station, Liberty Radio Kaduna. Data was collected through face-to-face and telephone interviews using a semi-structured interview guide that asked the participants questions on their understanding about the use of short videos and reels as a means of conveying news information. Data analysis involved manual coding of themes. The findings revealed that short videos, particularly reels, have the potential of attracting younger audiences. The comparative analysis showed that short videos and reels are being adopted to a varying degree by these news organizations; strictly-online media organizations are leading the adoption rate of this format. The study offered some recommendations on how to effectively address challenges regarding the adoption of reels and short videos for news curation and delivery in the mainstream news media organizations in Nigeria.