”Satiren blir ju det som händer i mitt huvud, när jag hör hur jävla dumt det är” - En studie om hur Svenska nyheter engagerar och underhåller en äldre publik.

Abstract

Aim of thesis: The aim of this study is to investigate why people aged 50 to 75 years watch the Swedish public service-produced program Svenska nyheter. The aim is also to understand how a satire-program like Svenska nyheter promotes audience engagement in different ways, and what kind of exchanges the program gives its audience. It seeks to show how different needs can be gratified by watching the program.

Theoretical framework: The study relies on two different theoretical frameworks. To understand why people use different types of media and content, like the program Svenska nyheter, we have chosen to apply the Uses and gratification-theory. In order to apply this theory, the audience needs to be active through awareness of their media-choices, and through rational choices towards a specific goal. The second theoretical framework involves theories about engagement and how different media engages its audience.

Methods: The method used for this study is qualitative, implemented through semistrucured interviews with twelve different participants in the age between 50 to 71 years. The participants of this study watch Svenska nyheter on a regular basis. The choice of a qualitative approach means that this study does not attempt to make generalizable facts and the results are based on the participants knowledge and their answers.

Results: The results show that the audience gets various exchanges of watching the program. They get exchanges through entertainment, information and knowledge and social exchanges like feelings of community. The results also show that the program promotes different forms of social and civic engagement.