Aims
 

The Permanent Seminar of Analysis “SENIORS AND THE MASS MEDIA” was launched in 2007 within the framework of the Permanent University of the University of Alicante. This initiative aimed to focus its work on a future observatory that would be set up at the end of the 2007-2008 academic year. This seminar works through working groups composed by old people.

These research and analysis groups have been tracking the Spanish media reality focusing on the treatment of seniors in the media. They collect related data and try, when possible, to stress the positive values they find. It is not only about examining the seniors’ image, but also about reflecting on what this age group can contribute to society and how their contribution is often not appreciated. When facing negative images and stereotypes, the aim is to wonder which path should have been taken in order to eliminate that negativity.

The Seniors and Mass Media Observatory of the Permanent University of the UA was born as a continuous research and reflection project, with a participative attitude and a constructive contribution to the society of the 21st century. Its origin was the concern of the UPUA’s senior students that arose after observing how their image was stereotypically and negatively portrayed by the media, and after realizing their lack of participation in them. The instigators of the Observatory decided to carry out an active research, looking for objective data that defines the current reality of the relation between the seniors and the mass media. It consists of senior researchers and mass media consumers, who exercise their right to claim their integration and participation in all social fields.

The Permanent University of the UA offers its institutional framework and rigorous support to this research Project.

Thanks to its work in these three years since its foundation, the Observatory has been reporting data that opens a debate about the image that society receives of the elders. Those data were obtained mainly by analysis of advertisements, press and radio as consumers and consumption promoters. National TV fiction was also examined as narrators and as target audience.

The Observatory’s interest to keep broadening its fields of research has lead us to suggest the pilot ‘Radio Between Generations’ experience, with the broadcast “No radio for old people” in the University Radio.

‘No radio for old people’ Project manager: Pere  Miquel
Research manaer: Irene Ramos Soler
Observatory Teaching: Mª Lo Berenguer and Fernando Embid
Researchers:
    Mª Luisa Mataix Scasso
    Felipe Castejón Alvadalejo
    Tomás Escrivá Peña
    Carlos Alberto Fenández León
    Isidoro Lozano Marco
    Mª Carmen Molina  Serrano
    Virginia Gómis Ivars
    Mª Carmen Gíl López     
    
Sessions organization: a fortnightly schedule

Duration: an hour, advertisements included.