Do Millennials read books or blogs? Introducing a media usage typology of the internet generation

Purpose – Millennials, the Net Generation, and digital natives all represent the same, fervently discussed phenomenon, especially in the education sciences. As the terms suggest, the main idea behind this phenomenon is that the younger generation embraces new media far more comprehensively than the older generations. However, the literature is mostly based on anecdotal evidence. To date, surprisingly little empirical research exists on the media use of the “Internet Generation”. In this paper, the authors aim to partially close this gap. In doing so, they focus especially on the use of social media. Design/methodology/approach – Active media use is a key element of social software and Web 2.0 and has the potential to affect the media industry on a fundamental level. Using a large‐scale empirical study with over 800 participants, the authors identify three different subgroups of Millennials. Findings – The results indicate that, although participation in and identification with social media is generally high, Millennials are less homogeneous than the literature suggests. Furthermore, the traditional media still represent integral parts of the overall media portfolio. Originality/value – These results are valuable not only as a starting point for future research on the Millennials' media usage but also for media management practices in general.