Testing assumptions - New media, Millennials, Church
Will new media engage Millennials in eccelsial community? The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate tested some assumptions in a just released study.
CARA writes “Many in the Church assume that the way to connect with this emergent generation of Catholics is not through traditional print media, television, or radio but online—through blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accessed on smart phones, tablets, and e-readers. The hope is often stated that we may be able to use new media to get this generation “back into the real world pews” that are more often populated by their parents and grandparents.”
The fact filled report highlights that “Although Millennial Catholics are using new media frequently, they have yet to use it for religion and spirituality in any great number. Will they ever? How can this be achieved? Those are unanswered and difficult questions for now.”
It concludes “… that creating content for new media does not mean people will use it. The era of broadcasting is over. In a narrowcasted world, people have to be aware of and want to visit and use your content. Right now not enough Catholics seem interested or aware.
- Is it the content?
- Is it the crowded media environment?
- Is it a culture consumed by pop media and entertainment?
- Is it secularization?
“This study generated just as many questions as it did answers. New media will require new research and a new understanding.”
What do you think of the report and its conclusions? Join the conversation by clicking the Comment button.
(Image from Creative Commons)
Tags: CARA, evangelization, Featured, Millennials, New Media, Youth
In an interesting juxtaposition see the post from The Next Web – “What today’s Digital Native children can teach the rest of us about technology”. So, I’ll admit it. I occasionally peruse the FB pages of my young millennial friends. Just to see what they are up to. Many don’t go to websites or blogs or FB pages that are overtly spiritual or religious unless they belong to a group (like JMV, or the Vincentian Lay Missionaries, or the Center for FaithJustice). But, they talk to each other. They share links form all over on mercy, compassion, justice, forgiveness, sexuality. Sometimes I post links on these issues. They comment. How many other members of the Vincentian Family have he same experience? I know one Daughter of Charity/Millenial who has over 600 FB friends. I looked at the profile pics — 500 look young enough to be millennials. There’s a Millennial Vincentian preist in Chile with over 500 followers of his Twitter feed. Every Saturday night, he TwitVids the Gospel and the they talk to each other about it on Twitter. He doesn’t try to TELL them what it means. FB pages, blogs and twitter feeds that are actually just another form of mini-website or newspaper aren’t getting it. It’s SOCIAL media. If you treat people as objects of evangelization or recruitment or indoctrination, you’re done! They’re called Facebook FRIENDS, not Facebook consumers/readers/subscribers or anything else. What the CARA study has uncovered is singularly unsurprising.2 Comments
In an interesting juxtaposition see the post from The Next Web – “What today’s Digital Native children can teach the rest of us about technology”.
So, I’ll admit it. I occasionally peruse the FB pages of my young millennial friends. Just to see what they are up to. Many don’t go to websites or blogs or FB pages that are overtly spiritual or religious unless they belong to a group (like JMV, or the Vincentian Lay Missionaries, or the Center for FaithJustice). But, they talk to each other. They share links form all over on mercy, compassion, justice, forgiveness, sexuality. Sometimes I post links on these issues. They comment. How many other members of the Vincentian Family have he same experience? I know one Daughter of Charity/Millenial who has over 600 FB friends. I looked at the profile pics — 500 look young enough to be millennials. There’s a Millennial Vincentian preist in Chile with over 500 followers of his Twitter feed. Every Saturday night, he TwitVids the Gospel and the they talk to each other about it on Twitter. He doesn’t try to TELL them what it means. FB pages, blogs and twitter feeds that are actually just another form of mini-website or newspaper aren’t getting it. It’s SOCIAL media. If you treat people as objects of evangelization or recruitment or indoctrination, you’re done! They’re called Facebook FRIENDS, not Facebook consumers/readers/subscribers or anything else. What the CARA study has uncovered is singularly unsurprising.