Temporality of contemporary media usage practices: Types of pauses

Abstract

Time-shifting technologies have considerable implications for the media's role as a rhythm-maker. Mobile devices enable people to fulfil, as well as take, pauses – the numerous moments or periods each day they use to look for news, chat, validate the data and post their own messages or images. The aim of the present study is to conceptualize pauses for media usage via empirical qualitative analysis of media-usage diaries of Estonian family members reported by diarists. We propose four types of media usage pauses: as a benchmark, as a respite, waiting for pause and cut-off from action. The concept of pause in media usage reveals the resources the media economy is struggling to attract: the audience's attention and time. Although these resources do have limits, the approach by pauses of media usage exposes the opportunities within lifestyles and job specifications to enable taking pauses that actually extend both the time and attention that people devote to media. Clever usage of pauses opens new slots of operating for media companies in the conditions of the attention economy.

Media and Journalism Research in Small European Countries

“…The case study reports were structured according to the four domains of news media and journalism research: legal and ethical regulation of the media, journalism, media usage, and media-related competences. According to the conceptual framework of the project, these domains most clearly indicate the risks and opportunities related to media's role in democratic societies (Mediadelcom, 2020; see also Harro-Loit & Eberwein, 2024). In the legal and ethical regulation domain, the research deals with the legislative context and accountability mechanisms for media;…”

“…All sources have been evaluated to indicate different degrees of usefulness for the purpose of monitoring the risks and opportunities of recent media transformations, according to a conceptual differentiation between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom (see Harro-Loit & Eberwein, 2024).…”