Engl. transl.: JIM 2015: Youth, information, (multi-) media Basic study on media usage by 12 to 19 year olds in Germany

Today's media landscape offers adolescents countless sources of information on all conceivable topics. The 2015 JIM study examines which types of media are preferably used by young people for information, depending on the thematic interest. As part of the 2015 mpfs JIM study, twelve to 19-year-olds in Germany were asked about 14 predefined topic categories how important it was for them to be quickly informed about new developments in these topics. In a second step, the most frequently used sources of information on the respective topics were asked. Boys and girls are most interested in solving personal problems (87%) and in current world affairs (83%). It is (very) important for around three out of four young people to quickly find out about news from the world of music (78%) and the topic of “training and work” (75%). Two thirds of young people want to be up to date on the subject of smartphones (65%). A good half of young people show an increased need for information when it comes to federal politics (59%), sport on a national or international level (57%), local sport (54%), local politics (54%) and television programs and series (53%).

The spectrum of media offered in households where youths grow up has become extremely diverse. Most families are already fully equipped with mobile phones (mostly smartphones), TV, computer and laptop as well as Internet access. Tablet PCs are available in 58 per cent of families, which is a marked increase compared to the previous year (2014: 48 %). (JIM Study 2015, p.59 ) The adolescents have different strategies for gathering information. While the Internet is the preferred source of information in eight of 14 topics, certain information needs can be met better by “classical” media: thus, television is the information medium of choice for national politics and sports, as well as current affairs. The newspaper has its specific strength in the local coverage of sports and politics. If the Internet is the information source of choice, the Google search merely dominates in some topics. (JIM Study 2015, p.60 ) Just under a fifth listens to the radio on the smartphone, another 12 per cent on a digital radio (DAB+). The use of digital radio has increased significantly compared to the previous year (2014: 3%). (JIM Study 2015, p.60 ) Almost half of adolescents have watched movies or series on the Internet, usually on YouTube or the media centres of the respective TV channels. Online platforms such as Netflix and sometimes even Amazon Fire TV or Vine also play a small role in online use of series and movies. Moreover, the choice of activities parallel to watching TV has been investigated within the JIM Study. 63 per cent claim to regularly do other things while watching TV. (JIM Study 2015, p.60 ) Furthermore, the JIM Study 2015 investigated how frequently the 12 to 19-year-olds’ duration of media usage time or the accessed content at home or in school results in conflict situations. The results show that the majority of adolescents do not perceive their use of media as a source of stress or anger. The time spent on digital games in the everyday life of the 12 up 19-year-olds, however, is still the biggest potential for conflict: A third of the youths (30 %) are frequently or occasionally confronted by stress or anger due to time spent playing on PC, console, or mobile phone. A quarter at least occasionally have conflicts because of their mobile phone use at home, and a tenth frequently or occasionally end up in trouble for using mobile phones in the school. While boys more often have stress because of the duration and the type of digital games they play, mobile phone use at home and TV content tends to be a more common conflict issue for girls.(JIM Study 2015, p. 62)