한국 10대 청소년 유튜버(YouTuber) : 제작자로서의 능동적 이용자 개념 연구
초록
본 연구는 이용과 충족 이론의 이론적 틀 속에서 한국 10대 청소년 유튜버(YouTuber)가 보이는 영상 제작 및 유튜브 활동의 동기, 제작·업로드·소통 과정에 대한 지각, 그리고 유튜브 활동이 자신의 삶에 가져오는 긍정적, 부정적 효과에 대한 지각을 분석함으로써 변화된 미디어 환경 속 ‘디지털 네이티브(digital native)’ 청소년에 대한 이해를 돕는 것을 목적으로 한다. 특히 본 연구는 미디어 생산과 유통 과정 참여를 고려하는 확장된 ‘미디어 이용’ 개념을 소개하며 ‘미디어 이용의 능동성’ 혹은 ‘능동적 이용자’라는 개념의 재규정을 꾀했다. 이러한 연구 목적을 가지고 청소년 유튜버 30명을 심층 면접하여 유튜브 활동 동기, 활동 과정, 활동 결과에 대한 인식을 다각적으로 살펴보았다.
먼저 활동 동기 측면에서 보면, 연구참여 청소년 유튜버들이 영상을 제작하고 유튜브에서 활동하는 동기로는 ‘인정 동기’, ‘자기표현 동기’, ‘진로연계 동기’, ‘소통 동기’, ‘오락 동기’, ‘수익 동기’를 들 수 있다. 활동 과정 중 도움 요소와 방해 요소를 살펴보면, 연구참여 청소년 유튜버가 가장 많이 꼽은 도움 요소는 ‘채널 이용자의 긍정적 반응’이며 가장 많이 꼽은 방해 요소는 ‘학업 병행으로 인한 시간 부족’ 상황이다. 활동 결과 측면에서 살펴보면, 연구참여 청소년 유튜버들은 유튜브 활동에서 얻어지는 긍정적인 결과가 부정적인 결과보다 훨씬 크다고 인식하고 있었다. 긍정적 결과로는 자신감, 자아효능감, 자기표현 능력 상승 등 ‘자아 변인’과 관련된 긍정적 결과와 교우관계 개선, 사회생활 체험 등 ‘관계 변인’과 관련된 긍정적 결과가 나타났다.
본 연구는 청소년들의 삶에서 최근 중요한 영향력을 보이는 ‘유튜브’를 매개로 ‘미디어 생산자’로서 활동하고 있는 청소년 유튜버들의 유튜브 이용 동기, 과정, 효과 인식의 문제를 논의하는 청소년 유튜버들에 대한 선도적 연구라는 의의를 지닌다. 이 연구의 결과는 새로운 미디어 환경에서 미디어 이용자의 능동성 개념을 어떻게 파악할지를 논하는데 기여할 것이다. 그리고 나아가 디지털 미디어 시대 ‘능동적 이용자’의 현실태를 조망하고, 디지털 네이티브 청소년에 대한 이해를 도우며, 그들을 상대로 한 미디어 교육에 활용될 수 있다.
Abstract
As the media environment in the digital age has changed rapidly, the meaning of ‘active media use’ has evolved to include participation in production and distribution activities beyond the level of active decoding of media content. In particular, teenagers have embraced such production-based active media use more enthusiastically than any other age groups. Youtube is one of the most important media platforms that Korean teenagers use to experience such active media use.
The purpose of this study is to understand the motivations and expected outcomes of video production activities on YouTube among Korean teenage Youtubers. The current study is generally based on a uses and gratifications theory perspective. In particular, this study attempts to redefine the concept of ‘active use of media’ or ‘active media user’ by focusing on individual Youtuber’s participation in media production and distribution activities. To achieve these research goals, we interviewed 30 adolescent YouTubers in summer of 2019. The interview questions consisted of (1) motivations for video production and YouTube activities, (2) YouTubers’ perceptions of helpers and barriers for their Youtube activities, and (3) perceived or expected outcomes of Youtube activities.
We found that the most important Youtube activity motivations among teenagers included 'recognition motivation', 'self-expression motivation', ‘career development motivation’, 'communication motivation', ‘entertainment motivation', and 'profit-making motivation'. Among these six motivations, we found that ‘recognition motivation’ was the most common and most important motivation for teenage Youtubers to start, maintain, and reinforce their Youtube activities.
Regarding Youtuber’s perceptions of helpers and barriers for their Youtube activities, we found that the most frequently mentioned ‘help factor’ for the adolescent Youtubers was ‘positive response from audience’, while the most frequently addressed ‘barrier factor’ was the ‘lack of time to catch up with schoolwork’. Parents’ roles were ambivalent as both helpers and barriers. Parents’ support and positive feedback were critical help factors for many teenage YouTubers while parents’ negative comments were the most critical barriers for the teen’s Youtube activities.
In terms of expected outcomes, we found that most teenage YouTubers felt that there were more positive outcomes from YouTube activities than negative ones. What they expected as positive outcomes include ‘self-promotion outcomes’ such as self-confidence, self-efficacy, and self-expression competence and ‘relational outcomes’ such as increased quality of friendships and social relationships.
This study provides a new theoretical framework to understand active media uses of teenagers in the changing media environment. In particular, the results of this study will contribute to future research that would focus on further developing the concept of production and consumption-based active media use. Practically, what we learned from this study can be used to develop media literacy education programs for teenagers in the newly emerging media environment.
Keywords:
Teenager, YouTuber, Media producer, Active user, In-depth interview키워드:
청소년, 유튜버, 미디어 생산자, 능동적 이용자, 심층면접Acknowledgments
This study is based on the master’s thesis of the first author(이 논문은 2020년 1월 주저자의 연세대학교 언론홍보대학원 석사학위논문을 토대로 재구성됐음).
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