The Elderly’s Media Appropriation as Variable for Target Groups

Abstract

Media and media appropriation can be the basis for diversity and also for commonalities, describing target groups more exactly than the chronological age approach does. This paper demonstrates why it is necessary to expand the view of target groups beyond mere classification in the category of age, especially when the focus is placed on the elderly. It establishes that there are other possibilities than age to find also appropriate classification categories for the elderly by means of media appropriation combined with Bourdieu’s forms of capital. This paper suggests that, regardless of whether media use, education or media literacy, if the media research is intended to reach fruitful ends, its instruments need to be developed with media specifically in mind. In this case, they need to be subject-orientated in relation to the media appropriation of the elderly.