children and parents report

This report is about Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes and the overview of the report is about how children spend their spare time and what different devices they are popular is using. From the findings produced from the report, statistics state that certain age groups prefer certain devices. The age group is between 3-15. This report has an overflow of quantitative data, graphs and percentages. A lot of research and findings were based on results from 2013 and 2014 and they were compared between both. Among 12-15s the mobile phone is the second most likely device to be mainly used to go online, after laptops/netbooks, with tablets coming third. Mobiles are more favoured for the older children between ages 12-15 because they’re more likely to spend more time socialising on social media than watching TV or on laptops/netbooks. Access to the internet via a PC/Laptop has decreased, access to the internet at home via a PC/laptop/netbook by children aged 5-15 has decreased; from 91% in 2013 to 88% in 2014. The cause of this could be leaning towards an age group because children aged 5-7/8 are more likely to use laptops and devices with big screens, than mobile phones. The TV set is the only media device used almost everyday by a majority of children aged 5 to 15. More time is spent watching television every week (14.6 hours) than undertaking any other media activity. The statistics also show that 8-11 year olds are spending more time online than in 2013, however, as with 12-15 year olds, children aged 8-11 tend to prefer using mobile phones for social media and creative activities. Among those 12-15 year olds with a social media profile, boys are more likely than girls to have a profile on YouTube (29% vs. 15%) while girls are more likely than boys to have a profile on three sites or apps: Instagram (42% vs. 30%), Snapchat (33% vs. 20%) and Tumblr (11% vs. 3%).

The methodology used to gather this research involved, surveys and interviews for the primary research and research and statistics for the secondary, which was majority of the report. The primary research was compiled together based on what the secondary research was based on. The primary research talked about the different devices that children used compared to the others and from the secondary research they could link the primary research to the secondary.

The audiences that were used in this report were parents and children.  The sample is broad and not fully valid because the survey had been collected over a number of years and this made it slightly reliable. The sample had been taken in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 but they only focused on 2013 & 2014. But over the years they didn’t have the same specific number of people in the survey. The quantitative research is the majority of the report because on every page there are statistics on percentages, graphs and numbers. The qualitative research is identified on the first page where it talks about the stimulus material and the summary of key themes. There is more quantitative research in this report than qualitative research because it is basically secondary research on them trying to find valid information.

The qualitative and quantitative are inter-linked together because both research use the same age range. The quantitative research explains the statistics and numbers and the qualitative research backs it up with online research. There aren’t any references from academic journals or professionals but there is a reference from Ofcom, in which they conducted the research. The issues with the primary research they have conducted is that the survey sample is not the same number of people throughout the years. The sample is not reliable in terms of trying to get accurate and trust worthy results.

The sector I have selected is the Radio sector. The research I need to undertake so that it can be applied to the findings produced, I will pursue a research on trying to investigate whether their research is reliable and the sources they used. I will link this to my sector (Radio) and find out if it is applicable.