Site Title

William Rotger

1-17-2026

Module 1 Blog Assignment

My 24-Hour Media Diary: What I Learned About My Media Habits

To better understand how media works in my life, I kept track of every media interaction I had in a day. There were both obvious and less obvious interactions, such as email, search engines, and music apps, as well as more obvious ones, such as social media and streaming services. I not only watch a lot of media, but it also affects almost every part of my day, which is what really caught my attention.

Morning (7:00 AM – 11:00 AM)

I checked my phone almost as soon as I woke up to start my day. I used Apple Mail to look through my emails, mostly to see what the school was up to and to get news. I also used Google to look up things related to the course and checked the weather. I listened to music on Spotify while I got ready, which helps me stay awake and focused in the morning.

I looked at Instagram and X (Twitter) quickly while I was eating breakfast. Most of what I saw was news headlines, sports stories, and money-related stories. I realized how quickly and mindlessly I switch between platforms, which I don’t think about very often.

Afternoon (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM)

I used media for schoolwork for a long time in the afternoon. I spent a few hours watching lecture videos and doing homework on Canvas. I also watched short videos on YouTube about finance and statistics to help me learn more.

I quickly looked through LinkedIn to see if there were any new jobs or internships in my field. This was more purposeful media use that fit with my professional goals, as opposed to just scrolling through.

Evening (5:00 PM – 11:00 PM)

I began to use media more for fun at night. While streaming a show on Netflix, I kept listening to music on Spotify. I also used Snapchat and iMessage to talk to friends. Even though this media consumption was for fun, I noticed that it happened often and at the same time as other things, like eating or working out.

Late Night (11:00 PM – 12:30 AM)

Before going to bed, I checked Instagram one last time and then, just for fun, I looked up a few random things on Google. This last period of media use was the most habitual and least planned, which made me think about how media often fills gaps on its own.

Most Credible Media Sources for Me

I trust news organizations that value honesty, responsibility, and knowledge the most. I mostly get my news from The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com) and The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com) because they fix mistakes in public and make it clear when they are reporting and when they are giving their opinion.

The best places to find academic and factual information are university-hosted content that you can get to through Canvas and Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com). These sources are based on evidence, not algorithms that are based on engagement.

I’ve learned that sites like Instagram, YouTube, and X can help people learn about new things, but you need to be careful with them. The source of the information on those platforms is what makes it credible, not the platform itself.

Final Reflection

This 24-hour media diary made me realize how much media is a part of my life, even when I’m not thinking about it. I use media for a lot of useful and goal-oriented things, but there are times when I just passively consume it that I want to be more aware of. When I know more about how I use media, I can learn more about it and choose reliable sources over ones that are fun or easy to use.