The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding

Youth Culture Research and Trends

Media: General Issues

“Top 25 Stars Under 25”

Teen People released its list of the top 25 celebrity stars under the age of 25 in the June/July 2005 issue, pp. 120-142. CPYU has articles and reviews for many of the celebrities on the list. Check it out at www.cpyu.org

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2005/0003545073&EDATE=

See also: Celebrity weight loss influence teen girls

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthyWoman/story?id=754080

See also: Eating disorder websites influence teens

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/106/108029.htm

See also: Cost of adolescent popularity

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-05/sfri-tds051005.php or

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/106/108048.htm

See also: Clear skin matters for high school big moments (prom, graduation, 16^th B-day, and first date)

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-19-2005/0003639618&EDATE=

See also: Accutane and depression

http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=525738

See also: Suicidal thoughts and attempts remain unchanged despite sharp rise in treatment

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/293/20/2487

Kids’ Choice Award Winners

Check out the list of winners from the 2005 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

http://www.nick.com/all_nick/specials/kca_2005/kca05-vote.jhtml

See also: Time magazine cover story article about TV decency

http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,1039700,00.html

See also: TV Viewing and Bullying

http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/159/4/384 or

http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=524924

See also: Bullying is a growing concern

http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=524675

See also: CPYU article about bullying

/pageview_p.asp?PageID=14718

Teen In-Room Media

The Gallup Tuesday Briefing reports that 64% of teens (70% boys and 58% girls) have a TV in their room, and 28% have their own Internet access computers in their room from a survey of 1,028 U.S. teens conducted between January and February 2005. Boys average 15 hours of TV viewing per week compared to 12 hours for girls.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/content/default.aspx?ci=14989 (fee to access)

See also: Top TV for teens

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050302/d_nielspotlight02.art.htm

See also: Online bullies

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050307/1a_cover07.art.htm

See also: Teen girl magazines

http://www.teenresearch.com/NewsView.cfm?page_id=294

Media Multi-Tasking

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports on the pervasiveness of media in the lives of teens from a survey of 2000+ 3^rd-12^th graders. Overall, teens are exposed to 8:33 hours of media per day, often “multi-tasking”. Also, in their bedrooms, 68% report having a TV set, 49% have a video game player, 54% have a VCR or DVD player, 31% have a computer, and 20% have Internet access.

http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia030905pkg.cfm

See also: New video game rating category

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-02-2005/0003112670&EDATE=

See also: Christian media use beats out church attendance

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=184

Teen Media Favorites

The January 2005 edition of Seventeen, pp. 114-115, features the results of its “Reader’s Choice Awards” survey of 45,000 respondents. Some of the results:

Best new artist: Ashlee Simpson
Album with lyrics that could be ripped from your diary: Ashlee Simpson’s Autobiography
The only guy you’d leave your boyfriend for: Orlando Bloom
TV show you always quote with your guy friends: Chappell’s Show
TV show you’d love to be a character on: One Tree Hill
Best girls’-night-in TV show: The O.C.
Party anthem of 2004: Usher’s “Yeah!”

Top Magazines

Adage.com released its 15^th annual report on the top 300 magazines in 2003. The top 3 magazines were People, Sports Illustrated, and Time. Some teen centered magazines of interest: YM (#55 in 2003 and #46 in 2002), Seventeen (#56 in 2003 and #35 in 2002), Teen People (#87 in 2003 and #72 in 2002), CosmoGirl (#110 in 2003 and #122 in 2002; Cosmopolitan was #11 in 2003 and 2002), Jane (#136 in 2003 and #145 in 2002), and Teen Vogue (#268 in 2003; Vogue was #19 in 2003 and 27 in 2002).

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=41494

See also: "Teen magazines lose their spot in the popular crowd" (from Oct 6, 2004 "YS Update")

http://www.nysun.com/article/2530

See also: CPYU articles about teen magazines

/pageview.asp?pageid=14717 (Teen guy magazines)

/pageview.asp?pageid=8088 ("Maximum Menace")

/pageview.asp?pageid=7723 ("My trip through Seventeen")

Teen Choice Award Winners

Check out the results of the 2004 Teen Choice Awards.

http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/stars/spotlight/0,8016,673453,00.html

See also: Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Awards 2004

http://www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/rb/2004/finalists.jsp

See also: 2004 MTV Video Music Award winners

http://www.mtv.com/onair/vma/2004/

Top Celebrities Under 25

The June/July 2004 issue of Teen People features the top 25 stars under the age of 25. The list begins with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at #1 followed by Hilary Duff, Kirsten Dunst, Justin Timberlake, etc.

http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/25hottest

See also: CPYU's "Teens-2-Watch" page which contains profiles of popular teens

/pageview.asp?pageid=13730

See also: 2004 BET Award Nominees

http://www.bet.com/articles/0,,c2gb9611-10584,00.html

Teen Media Consumption

Knowledge Networks/SRI released the results of its MultiMedia Mentor™ study which reveals the daily media consumption patterns and preferences of 12-17 year old male youth. Television accounts for 45% of the time each day male youth spend with media, followed by radio (17%), Internet (16%), video games (15%), newspapers (3%) and magazines (3%).

http://www.knowledgenetworks.com/info/press/releases/2004/040504_MMMvideogames.htm

See also: "Children spend more time playing video games than watching TV"

http://www.newsroom.msu.edu/site/indexer/1943/content.htm

News and Teens

USA Weekend magazine reports the results of its 17^th Annual Teen Survey of more than 65,000 13-18 year-old teens. Some of the findings:

48% of teens get most of their news from television, followed by newspapers, word of mouth, Internet, radio and magazines (18%, 14%, 9%, 7% and 4%, respectively).
Most popular sections of the newspaper for girls: Comics, Front Page, Movie Reviews/Listings, Entertainment/Style, Teen Section.
Most popular sections of the newspaper for boys: Comics and Sports (tie), Front Page, Movie Reviews/Listings, Local/State News and Automotive/Cars (tie).
38% of teens (51% girls and 21% guys) read the horoscope section of the newspaper
http://usaweekend.com/04_issues/040411/040411teen_survey.html or http://usaweekend.com/classroom/survey/teen_survey2004_results.html

"Kid's Choice Award" Winners

Check out the list of winners from Nickelodeon's 17^th Annual "Kid's Choice Awards".

http://www.nick.com/all_nick/specials/kca_2004/index.jhtml or

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=4746155§ion=news

Urban Youth Media Consumption

MEE Productions reports the results of a survey conducted in 2002 on 1,918 African American youth, ages 16 to 20, in regards to their media preferences. Some of the findings:

54% of 16 and 17 year-old (65% male and 32% female) prefer hip-hop/rap music compared to 40% for 19 and 20 year-olds.
31% of 16 and 17 year-old (19% male and 51% female) prefer R&B music compared to 40% for 19 and 20 year-olds
62% go to the movies two or more times per month; 27% go once a month.
Allen Iverson (NBA player) and Tupac Shakur (rapper) were the top ranked celebrities
http://www.meeproductions.com/survey.cfm

Modified Language

The Global Language Monitor lists its choice of the top 10 words or phrases from Hollywood: 1) Wardrobe malfunction, 2) Bootylicious, 3) Extreme Makeover, 4) Gigli, 5) "Give it up!", 6) Governator, 7) Parley, 8) Snap, 9) Smiths, 10) Understated.

http://www.languagemonitor.com/wst_page19.html

Top Teen Magazines

The top-10 teen magazines according to magazine.com: 1) Thrasher, 2) Seventeen, 3) Listen, 4) Teen People, 5) Guideposts for Teens, 6) Elle Girl, 7) Teen Ink, 8) J-14, 9) Cosmo-Girl!, 10) Slap

http://www.magazines.com/ncom/mag?id=2776307280734&subject=2

Media and Obesity Connection

A Kaiser Family Foundation report found a positive correlation between media exposure and childhood obesity. According to the report, the average child sees nearly 40,000 ads on TV each year.

http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia022404nr.cfm

See also: Fatty kid-friendly menus

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200402241.html

See also: Children under 8 years of age are vulnerable to marketer's influence.

http://www.apa.org/releases/childrenads.html

Teen People's Reader's Choice Awards

Some of the results of the 5^th annual Teen People Reader's Choice Awards appearing in the Dec 2003/Jan 2004 issue of Teen People, pp. 20-22:

Best Tour: Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera (38%), Jay-Z and 50 Cent (21%), etc.
Best Image 180: Christina Aguilera (31%), Bow Wow (25%), Kelly Clarkson (21%), Clay Aiken (15%) and Jewel (7%)
Best Video: "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake (25%), "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce Knowles (16%), "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" by Good Charlotte (15%), "Work It" by Missy Elliott (14%), and "Lose Yourself" by Eminem (9%).
Best Eye Candy: Justin Timberlake (23%), Clay Aiken (10%), Eminem (9%), 50 Cent (7%), and Good Charlotte's Joel Madden (6%)
Best Make-Out Music: "Rock wit U (Aww Baby)" by Ashanti (33%), "Your Body is a Wonderland" by John Mayer (29%), "I'm with You" by Avril Lavigne (13%), "Excuse Me Miss" by Jay-Z (9%), and "Hands Down" by Dashboard Confessional (8%).
See also: People magazine's "Top 10" sexiest men
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3872258

Violent Entertainment Marketing

The Federal Trade Commission reports progress in the battle to block teen access to age-inappropriate media (R-rated movie tickets and DVD rentals, explicit-labeled music, and M-rated video games) from its nationwide "mystery shopper" study of 13-16 year old teens attempting purchases in 899 theatres and stores.

36% were able to purchase an R-rated movie theatre ticket (down from 48% in 2001)
81% were able to purchase R-rated movies on DVD
69% were able to purchase M-rated video games (down from 85% in 2000 and 78% in 2001)                http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/10/shopper.htm
                See also: GamesAsylum.com's Top 40 All Formats Chart                http://gamesasylum.com/showarticle.php?articleID=2214
                See also: "Troubling days at U.S. schools: spate of violence raises alarm"                http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031021/5605116s.htm

Kids and Media

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports the results of a study examining the media consumption patterns of children 6 years of age and younger. Researchers surveyed 1,065 parents between April and June 2003. Some key findings:

26% of children under the age of 2 have a TV in their bedroom
Kids spend an average of 1 hour, 58 minutes per day using screen media
50% of 4 to 6 year olds have played video games http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/hcast_index.cfm?display=detail&hc=1006 http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/uploaded_files/102803_kff_kids_press.pdf (3 page pdf)

Teen Bedroom Technology

A Knowledge Networks/SRI report, "How Children UseÃ¦amp;#162;â¦¡mp;#128;?Â¦amp;#162; Media Technology", reveals that 61% of kids have a TV set in their bedrooms, and 17% have their own PC. The report is based on interviews conducted between May and July 2003 on 245 8-17 year old youth. http://www.knowledgenetworks.com/info/press/releases/2003/100603_kidsbedrooms.htm

http://www.knowledgenetworks.com/info/press/collateral/HCUT_2003_PressSummary.pdf (7 page pdf)

See also: The October 2003 edition of "Trends & Tudes" highlights the "Brave New Media World" http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters/k12news/HI_Trends&TudesNews2003_V2_iss10.pdf

Seventeen Magazine Sex Survey

The Kaiser Family Foundation and Seventeen magazine (November 2003, pages 74-75) released the results of its Sex Smarts telephone survey conducted in June 2003 on 508 15-17 year old teens in regards to perceptions on virginity and first-time sex. Some key findings:

41% of teens report planning their first-time sex, 57% said it was unplanned
92% of teens agree with the statement that being a virgin in high school is a good thing
42% of teens are waiting to have sex until they are in a committed relationship; 37% until marriage
Of sexually active teens 49% wish they had waited until they were older before having sex, 25% would change their first partner, and 28% regret the decision to have sex altogether http://www.kff.org/content/2003/3368/ http://www.kff.org/content/2003/3368/3368_Sexsmarts_Virginity.pdf (4 page pdf file)
See also: "Hooking Up, Hanging Out and Hoping for Mr. Right: College Women on Mating and Dating Today" http://americanvalues.org/html/r-hooking_up.html

Teen People Sex Survey

The results of an Internet survey of 1,337 13-19 year old teens appears in the November 2003 issue of Teen People, pp. 124-129. Some key findings:

46% of teens are NOT having sex; 76% have tried kissing at least once
Of sexually active teens, 16% "lost" their virginity at age 14, 23% at 15, 21% at 16, and 18% at 17.
70% of teen girls were pressured by their partner to have sex; 15% gave in
See also: United Nations Population Fund report on the 1.2 billion 10-19 year old adolescents
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/swpmain.htm

Top Selling Magazine Titles

The Magazine Publishers of America reports on the top mid-year 2002, and year-end 2001, magazine circulation. Top teen girl magazines Seventeen, YM, and Teen People ranked number 28, 32, and 46, respectively. Most publications have a higher subscription base compared to single-copy sales, with the exception of Cosmopolitan (2,043,873 single-copy sales vs. 919,478 subscribers), National Enquirer (333,896 vs. 1,467,702), and 3 others.
http://magazine.org/resources/fact_sheets/cs9_14_02.html (Jan-July 2002)
http://magazine.org/resources/fact_sheets/cs2_9_02.html (Year end 2001 and 2000)