5. Findings - Part 1
The first method of research I conducted was a questionnaire online via Instagram and Snapchat through the website EasyQuest. I posted a link to the website through these social media platforms in the hopes that my audience would answer these. I kept the questionnaire open for 2 days, in order for a wider audience to view.
In my questionnaire, I first stated the nature of the project so that the audience knew what they were participating in. Furthermore, I said that the results will all be anonymous, therefore not singling a particular individual. Following this, I created a question asking the audience whether or not they consented to let me use their data in my research project. It was vital that they answered this question as I did not want to face any ethical issues or betray their trust.
By ticking this box, you consent that you are aware of the purpose of this research and allow me to use the results in my research
All of my respondees consented to the use of their data and understood the nature of the research project.
What is your gender?
I asked the question, 'What is your gender?' as I wanted to identify if they were a particular gender that used the streaming platform Netflix more. Through my own research, I found that more females than males answered this questionnaire.
What is your age?
I asked the age of my audience as I felt like this would be a large factor in determining whether or not they used Netflix. I feel the older generation who were brought up with TV may stick to what they know, whereas the younger generation being the digital age may use a significant amount of Netflix. I found that 22 of my respondents were between the ages of 16 and 20, this suggests to me that the demographics of the questionnaire were very confined to a certain age group, being the digital generation.
What is your profession?
I asked this question as I myself know as a university student that I use a significant amount of Netflix and rarely watch TV. I wanted to explore if a person's profession affected whether they watch Netflix or TV? I found that 17 people voted for university students and 3 voted for a college student, this, therefore, showing me that a large number of my audience are still within education.
Do you own a Netflix account?
This was a vital question to ask the audience as the sole purpose of this research project was to know if Netflix is the modern TV? Therefore by asking if they owned a Netflix account, this reveals how many people use the streaming service to me.
What is the main genre that you watch on Netflix?
Looking through these results I can see that many people watch different genres on Netflix, the main one being a comedy. This suggests to me that Netflix shows a variety of genres on their streaming websites, therefore trying to target a mass audience, hoping to gain more users. This could be a reason why Netflix is becoming the modern TV as it shows genres similar to those on TV.
I asked my audience the reasons to why they watch Netflix and many of them replied with 'escapism', this being a form of Blumler and Katz (1974) uses and gratifications theory. People use escapism as a type of diversion from everyday life, this may be because of stress, relaxation, etc, this, therefore, showing me that many people like to diverge from everyday life. Furthermore, this many respondents said that they use Netflix as a type of 'entertainment', this being broken down by McQuail (1987) into more detailed categories. Another category McQuail divides attention into is 'learning', 1 respondent said that they use Netflix for a sense of self-learning to 'educate' themselves.
How many movies do you watch in a day on Netflix?
By researching this question I found that many people watch movies, however, compared to the amount that watches episodes of a series this is lower. This suggests to me that people watch Netflix mainly for their series.
How many episodes of a series do you watch in a day on Netflix?
By asking this question I identified that many people watch over 4 episodes in one day, this leading to binge watching. The hypodermic needle concept can be applied here and the idea that the media works as a drug and suggests that the audience is drugged or addicted. I believe this to be true as Netflix encourages users to carry on watching episodes of a series by automatically going to the next, this, therefore, acting like a drug.
What genre do you mainly watch on TV?
Compared to the genres that my audience mainly watch on Netflix this is certainly more varied, showing that they display an array of genres to the public. Furthermore, TV show sports, news, soaps, and reality media, whereas Netflix does not show these genres, this is why 10 people watch TV according to my results.
Maslow (1943) initially stated that individuals must satisfy lower level deficit needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. However, he later clarified that satisfaction of a needs is not an “all-or-none” phenomenon, admitting that his earlier statements may have given “the false impression that a need must be satisfied 100 percent before the next need emerges” (1987, p. 69). This relates in conjunction with the needs and desires that the audience view certain programmes. For example, 1 respondent states they watch TV as a 'habit' therefore suggesting that they crave to satisfy their needs by watching certain programmes on the TV.
How many programmes do you watch in a day on TV?
Upon reviewing these answers, I found that there were very few people that watched many programmes in a day compared to the number of people who watch on Netflix. This may be because you have to watch what is on there and then, which to many people doesn't suit them if they want to satisfy specific needs they want to choose their programmes.
References
In my questionnaire, I first stated the nature of the project so that the audience knew what they were participating in. Furthermore, I said that the results will all be anonymous, therefore not singling a particular individual. Following this, I created a question asking the audience whether or not they consented to let me use their data in my research project. It was vital that they answered this question as I did not want to face any ethical issues or betray their trust.
By ticking this box, you consent that you are aware of the purpose of this research and allow me to use the results in my research
All of my respondees consented to the use of their data and understood the nature of the research project.
What is your gender?
I asked the question, 'What is your gender?' as I wanted to identify if they were a particular gender that used the streaming platform Netflix more. Through my own research, I found that more females than males answered this questionnaire.
What is your age?
I asked the age of my audience as I felt like this would be a large factor in determining whether or not they used Netflix. I feel the older generation who were brought up with TV may stick to what they know, whereas the younger generation being the digital age may use a significant amount of Netflix. I found that 22 of my respondents were between the ages of 16 and 20, this suggests to me that the demographics of the questionnaire were very confined to a certain age group, being the digital generation.
What is your profession?
I asked this question as I myself know as a university student that I use a significant amount of Netflix and rarely watch TV. I wanted to explore if a person's profession affected whether they watch Netflix or TV? I found that 17 people voted for university students and 3 voted for a college student, this, therefore, showing me that a large number of my audience are still within education.
Do you own a Netflix account?
This was a vital question to ask the audience as the sole purpose of this research project was to know if Netflix is the modern TV? Therefore by asking if they owned a Netflix account, this reveals how many people use the streaming service to me.
Looking through these results I can see that many people watch different genres on Netflix, the main one being a comedy. This suggests to me that Netflix shows a variety of genres on their streaming websites, therefore trying to target a mass audience, hoping to gain more users. This could be a reason why Netflix is becoming the modern TV as it shows genres similar to those on TV.
I asked my audience the reasons to why they watch Netflix and many of them replied with 'escapism', this being a form of Blumler and Katz (1974) uses and gratifications theory. People use escapism as a type of diversion from everyday life, this may be because of stress, relaxation, etc, this, therefore, showing me that many people like to diverge from everyday life. Furthermore, this many respondents said that they use Netflix as a type of 'entertainment', this being broken down by McQuail (1987) into more detailed categories. Another category McQuail divides attention into is 'learning', 1 respondent said that they use Netflix for a sense of self-learning to 'educate' themselves.
How many movies do you watch in a day on Netflix?
By researching this question I found that many people watch movies, however, compared to the amount that watches episodes of a series this is lower. This suggests to me that people watch Netflix mainly for their series.
How many episodes of a series do you watch in a day on Netflix?
What genre do you mainly watch on TV?
Compared to the genres that my audience mainly watch on Netflix this is certainly more varied, showing that they display an array of genres to the public. Furthermore, TV show sports, news, soaps, and reality media, whereas Netflix does not show these genres, this is why 10 people watch TV according to my results.
Maslow (1943) initially stated that individuals must satisfy lower level deficit needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. However, he later clarified that satisfaction of a needs is not an “all-or-none” phenomenon, admitting that his earlier statements may have given “the false impression that a need must be satisfied 100 percent before the next need emerges” (1987, p. 69). This relates in conjunction with the needs and desires that the audience view certain programmes. For example, 1 respondent states they watch TV as a 'habit' therefore suggesting that they crave to satisfy their needs by watching certain programmes on the TV.
How many programmes do you watch in a day on TV?
Upon reviewing these answers, I found that there were very few people that watched many programmes in a day compared to the number of people who watch on Netflix. This may be because you have to watch what is on there and then, which to many people doesn't suit them if they want to satisfy specific needs they want to choose their programmes.
References
Blumler, Jay, Katz, Elihu (1974) The Uses of Mass Communication, California; Sage.
McQuail, Denis (1987): Mass Communication Theory: An Introduction (2nd edn.). London: Sage
Maslow (1943), Saul McLeod, 2018, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
McQuail, Denis (1987): Mass Communication Theory: An Introduction (2nd edn.). London: Sage
Maslow (1943), Saul McLeod, 2018, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
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