Lijst Nul

Popularisation of politics

and young people

Chris Aalberts

Universiteit van Amsterdam - 20 december 2006 - www.chrisaalberts.nl

Program

• Introduction to List Zero• Qualitative methods• Young people and popularisation of politics• Quantitative methods• Audience reach of List Zero


List Zero

Youth program on politics:• MTV-style with pop music and popular

presenters• Relevant issues for young people• Third series


Qualitative methods

• In depth interviews with 47 young people• 37 focus groups with 202 young people• Respondents with various backgrounds• Subject: various examples of

popularisation


Young people and politics (1)

Frame 1: politics is important• Politics is important• Voting is important• Rational voting• Rational discussion• Political education

• Differences between subgroups



Frame 2: politics is boring• Politics on television is dull• Nothing happens when people talk• Political issues are irrelevant• Political activists are strange




Why is politics boring?• Appearance of politicians• Age of politicians• Opinions of politicians• The way politicians talk


Young people and popularisation (1)

Frame 1: popularisation is not political• Popularisation lacks information• Popularisation is not serious• Popularisation is not objective




Frame 2: popularisation is boring• Politics is always the same• Politics is not fun• Politics pretend to be young• Pop stars pretend to be interested in

politics




Third person effect• Popularisation informs others• Popularisation is interesting to others• Others like popularisation

Why?• Others are uninformed• Others do not want to be informed


Hypotheses

• List Zero attracts a politically interested audience

• List Zero will be seen as an influence on other young people


Quantitative methods

Survey among young people (n = 700)• 15 years 39%• 16 years 30%• 17 years 16%• VMBO 17%• HAVO 41%• VWO 42%


Audience reach (1)

How many young people know about List Zero?

• Heard of List Zero 42%• Never heard of List Zero 58%


Audience reach (2)

How many young people watch List Zero?• Every week 3%• Some weeks 26%• Only once 33%• Never 38%


Political activities (1)

Some political activities of young people:

• Sign a petition 53%• Sign an email petition 19%• Internet discussion 15%• Talking with parents 65%• Talking with friends 55%


Political activities (2)

LN Not LN

• Sign a petition 60% 50%• Sign an email petition 27% 16%• Internet discussion 23% 12%• Talking with parents 74% 62%• Talking with friends 66% 51%


Political interest (1)

Political interest of young people

• Very interested 5%• Interested 22%• Not so interested 50%• Not interested at all 23%


Political interest (2)

LN Not LN

• Very interested 9% 4%• Interested 32% 18%• Not so interested 52% 49%• Not interested at all 8% 29%


Political knowledge (1)

Good answers on questions about politics

• Minister of youth policy 44%• Cabinet of CDA and VVD 59%• Minister of finance 76%• Political leader Green party74%• Former party of Wilders 38%• Number of seats sec.cham.50%


Political knowledge (2)

LN Not LN

• Minister of youth policy 55% 40%• Cabinet of CDA and VVD 70% 55%• Minister of finance 83% 72%• Political leader Green party86% 69%• Former party of Wilders 48% 34%• Number of seats sec.cham.61% 45%


Use of news media (1)

Where do young people get their political information (more than 3 days a week)

• News papers 26%• Television 40%• Magazines 3%• Internet 11%


Use of news media (2)

LN Not LN

• News papers 32% 23%• Television 53% 34%• Magazines 5% 3%• Internet 18% 8%


Opinions on List Zero

Opinions of youngsters who watched List Zero

• List Zero is fun 36%• List Zero is important 64%• The presenters are good 51%• The issues are interesting 23%


Subjective effects (1)

Effects of List Zero on themselves

• More interested 23%• More knowledge 32%• More trust 7%


Subjective effects (2)

Effects of List Zero on themselves and ‘others’

Others Themselves

• More interested 61% 23%• More knowledge 61% 32%• More trust 17% 7%• More voting 45%


Conclusion

Popularisation does not change politics• Frames on politics and popularisation are

the same• Positive expectations on popularisation are

a third person effect


Lijst Nul

News & Politics

Transcript of Lijst Nul