You’ve Never Seen Friends? The Lack of Common Media Experiences Among First Semester Mass Communication Students

Authors

• Jeremy Sarachan, St. John Fisher UniversityFollow
• Olushola Aromona, South Dakota State University
• Lisa Carponelli, Simpson College, Indianola Iowa
• Marti Maguire, William Peace University
• Nomi Morris, University of California, Santa Barbara

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

This study examines whether mass communication students share common media experiences, given the increasing fragmentation of media consumption. A survey of 234 students across five universities assessed preferences in television, film, books, music, and video games. Findings reveal limited shared media experiences, with video games offering the most commonality. The results underscore the need for mass communication instructors to adapt pedagogy to evolving media habits.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1177/10776958261433107

Publication Information

Sarachan, Jeremy; Aromona, Olushola; Carponelli, Lisa; Maguire, Marti; and Morris, Nomi (2026). "You’ve Never Seen Friends? The Lack of Common Media Experiences Among First Semester Mass Communication Students." Journalism & Mass Communication Educator .

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.