Childhood and Children's Retrospective Media Consumption Experiences. The case of Norway

Abstract

The focus in this article is on childhood and consumer culture with a special view on children’s media experiences retrospective. A historical perspective is applied as history provides an opportunity to reflect on changing processes within contemporary consumer culture, especially with a view on exploring how children grew up within a Norwegian context with the tradition of state regulated media. The following main research question is addressed: What are the dominant narratives on retrospective media experiences (radio and television)? The findings are based on a case study of adults reflecting on media consumption. Their experiences have been collected through focus group interviews as this approach can generate new insights into former experiences and contemporary childhood. The study shows that narratives on childhood in retrospective media experiences are influenced by both contemporary notions of childhood and the new media flow.