Defining TV watching experience: Psycho-social factors and screen culture of Generation Z

Abstract

Nowadays, the concept of "watching TV" means different things to different age groups. Even though it has barely changed in the first 50 years of the medium's history, the way we watch TV is under discussion. Changes in viewing practices derive from technological convergence but also from a set of parameters, that include industrial changes, socio-economic factors, lifestyle, culture & ethics of each generation. This research uses qualitative tools to investigate which are the viewing habits of young
viewers (RQ1), which are the differences in the way they consume TV content compared to their parents (RQ2) and how psycho-social factors influence their perceptions of television viewing (RQ3). According to the findings, coexistence with new media and social media offers new psychological and emotional experiences to people of Generation Z (born after 1996). However, several traditional features of the television experience have not changed and seem to be a comparative advantage of traditional television over platforms.