מי דורש מה וכמה? הבדלים בצריכת תוכן בקרב הדורות הצעירים Y ו־Z

The concept of “generation” is a prevalent sociocultural notion widely explored by researchers across various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, literature, and political science. It revolves around the cognitive and social frameworks that characterize different age groups. Scholars have studied extensively the emergence of generational cohorts, the traits of generational identity within each cohort, and the factors shaping their worldviews. In the twentieth century, Western society identified four major generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z. The purpose of this research was to investigate communication consumption disparities between members of the younger generations—Generation Y and Generation Z—who have grown up amid significant digital and internet-driven transformations within the communication landscape over the last decade. For this purpose, a comprehensive survey involving 800 respondents was conducted, with 500 belonging to Generation Y and 300 to Generation Z. The research findings indicate that generational characteristics significantly influence communication consumption patterns. Generation Z, in particular, strongly prefers digital communication, emphasizing speed and focus on Video on Demand (VOD) and YouTube. This preference stems from their exposure to high internet accessibility and heavy reliance on smartphones. It reflects a generational identity marked by immediacy and rapid information access. Generation Y, on the other hand, did not grow up with platforms like YouTube and VOD, differentiating them from Generation Z, which had exposure to on-demand content from an early age. Consequently, these disparities in communication consumption are notably pronounced. As the study reveals, these differences extend to traditional media such as newspapers and radio. Having been raised with these media, Generation Y demonstrates a higher demand for them. Within the generational cohorts, the gender-based digital gap has narrowed, while the socioeconomic digital divide remains noticeable. Additionally, even among the younger generation, the secular segment prefers digital communication to a greater extent than the religious one.