Event Review: 'Global Generation' - Young People And The Media

The launch party of ‘Global Generation’ last week was an evening dedicated to the discussion of youth-focused media in the UK. The event, organised by the International Broadcasting Trust [1], was held in aid of a new report that explores how young people aged 14 – 20 become engaged in global issues, and the roles the media and NGOs have to play in involving young audiences. It was also probably the only spot in London where you could have found a bunch of young people, NGO leaders, television broadcasters, campaigners, and the executive producer of  the BBC’s ‘Autumnwatch’ in the same room.

Young people are often stereotyped as being lazy, unmotivated and disinterested in global issues. The report ‘Global Generation’ challenges this absurd assumption, and clearly demonstrates that young people are more passionate, motivated and engaged than many realise.

Mark Galloway, director of the International Broadcasting Trust, writes: “The findings reveal that most young people are concerned about global poverty and the lives of people in developing countries. More than half say they would like to do something but a number of obstacles are discouraging them. Many are ignorant about what they could do, or feel that nothing they do will make a difference. If some of the barriers to taking action can be addressed, it’s clear that this global generation has the potential to become far more active”

So how exactly do young people becoming engaged with global issues? The report finds that television remains the most important communication method for young people, not the internet, as many adults would assume. TV often discourages and alienates young audiences by depicting and perpetuating a negative image of the ‘youth’ in this country.

'One of the major challenges in engaging young people in international development wasn’t their lack of motivation, but how to transfer their passion into action'

Television does, however, have some negative effects on the young.  TV often discourages and alienates young audiences by depicting and perpetuating a negative image of the ‘youth’ in this country. What’s more, British TV often transmits a ‘slow progress’ depiction of international development, which can discourage young people from engaging with important issues.

Many people feel that it’s important that information is put across through the experiences of young people themselves. The BBC’s ‘Blood and Sweat’ is a good example of this approach, and the series was a huge success. The panel discussion at the launch evening found that while the BBC are very good at presenting issues through the eyes of young people, Channel4 prefer to treat their young audiences in the same way as adults. This can serve to alienate younger audiences, and it’s pretty clear that some broadcasters need to reconsider the way in which they perceive and portray youth in the UK.

The report concluded that one of the major challenges in engaging young people in international development isn’t their lack of motivation, but how to translate their passion into action. Watching television programmes can give young people the information and the motivation they need, but often end with little information about what they as individuals can actually do to make a difference. Is this passion-to-action process the responsibility of NGOs or television broadcasters?

So how can the media help to engage young people in a more productive way? Perhaps broadcasters should consider inviting young people themselves to sit on discussion panels; this would better inform the production of programmes. A key criticism of television producers raised at the event was that that they often don’t actually ask young people whatkind of thing they want to see on TV. Another suggestion for improvement was that stronger links between schools and charities need to be created if we're serious about spreading awareness around the developing world from a young age.

Hopefully, following this launch we’ll see the development of progressive media: media aimed at engaging young audiences which is not only informative and inspiring, but proactive in providing suggestions on how young people can translate passion into action, and instigate real change in our world.

Read the ‘Global Generation’ report here [2].

Words: Hannah Henderson

Photo: IBT Global Generation report