Electronic Media and the Ties That Bind

Possibilities for intimate connections associated with radio, television, and online computer use. My elderly parents and I share many loves, but few are stronger than our affection for Ted Koppel, the host of the ABC news program Nightline. We watch his show religiously, even sever conversations midstream because "it's Ted time," and worry when Nightline has guest hosts. Ted is a member of the family who always provides a topic of conversation and a shared con- nection that cuts across the generational, political, and social differences that divide us. In many ways, our relationship with Ted Koppel exemplifies the experience of many frequent users of radio, TV, and the Internet. We form bonds with the individuals we see and hear, and we grow closer to those who share these "relationships." This article provides a brief look at the ways that older adults use radio, TV, and the Internet, and the bonds they have formed in the process. Although most of today's older adults spent their youth listening to the radio, only 58 percent of individuals over 65 report weekly radio listening, the lowest percentage for any adult age group (Nussbaum et al., 2000). When older adults do listen to the radio, they prefer AM programming, with its emphasis on talk radio, news, and public affairs (Nussbaum et al., 2000). Thus, while younger adults frequently prefer music programs, older adults enjoy radio programs that provide information about other people and content that may be used in subsequent conversations. With their interest in talk radio, older adults also enjoy the only radio format that has the possibility for direct interaction, which enhances the likelihood of interpersonal connections. More important to those of all ages is television. The average adult watches three to four hours daily, and that frequency increases with age, making television viewing the most frequently reported daily activity of older adults (Nussbaum et al., 2000). Widowed older people watch more television than their married counterparts, suggesting that part of the agerelated increase in television viewing is due to social isolation; however most of this change is attributed to the increase in available time that usually accompanies retirement (Nussbaum et al., 2000). As with radio, older adults prefer information-oriented television programs-news, documentaries, and public affairs (Nussbaum et al., 2000). Older adults are the largest single group of regular news viewers and are more likely to watch local news than are other adults. News and nonfiction programs enhance the viewer's engagement in the world and connections with other people. In addition, news programs, with their consistency in anchors, provide a personal connection, as is demonstrated by the relationship of my family to Ted Koppel. Unlike actors, news anchors always appear as themselves, allowing viewers to feel that they know and are connected with the people who often appear for decades on their television sets. Consequently, when older adults watch the news, they visit familiar people with whom they have shared some of the great events of their lifetimes. Thus, watching the news can provide various levels of connection, including feelings of having personal relationships with individual news anchors and bonds with the community and the world. Interpersonal relationships also may be enhanced outside the viewing experience, because of the information one gains from such programs. Radio listening may provide similar feelings of connection for the minority who are regular listeners. Except in the cases of talk radio or television call-in programs, most of the bonds that are experienced as a result of watching television or listening to the radio are one-sided, with no possibility for interaction. Consequently, while older people may feel a certain commitment, a sense of shared values, and affection for those in the media, without reciprocity, many components of intimacy cannot be realized fully (Moss and Schwebel,1993). …