Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 18–25 year olds who were either: Australian participants living in Australia, Thai participants living in Thailand, Thai participants living in Australia (henceforth Thai-Australian participants), and Asian participants, from other countries, living in Australia but not of Thai backgrounds (henceforth Asian international participants) who had not previously studied tertiary-level media studies at university. The age of young participant was set as a main criterion for recruiting research participants. The aim was to specifically target young people considered the ‘media generation’ with a high involvement with the media. As the study was based on a qualitative method that depended on participants elaborating in in-depth interviews, it was also important to recruit the participants who were regular consumers of the media. However, participants who had undertaken courses or units of study in media studies were specifically excluded from the sample to limit the effects of ‘education’ on their media literacy.
Young people were randomly approached and selected from various public places where young people gather, such as public parks, universities, coffee shops, shopping malls and offices at various times. After agreement was reached with the participants to participate in the study, the researcher made an appointment at an appropriate date, time and location that suited the participants. Flyers were also placed on notice boards at various universities inviting participants to take part in the study; however, this method of recruitment elicited few responses. The direct request approach worked best and a snowball technique was used to recruit more young people to participate in the interviews. Participants were asked whether they knew other people such as friends and relatives who might be willing to participate in the research.
This research involved 76 young participants, consisting of 19 Australian participants, 20 Thai participants, 20 Thai-Australian participants, and 17 Asian
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international participants, including one Japanese, one Taiwanese, two Vietnamese, three Korean, four Chinese, and six Indonesian participants. The participants of the study were mixed in gender, age, living area, education and work status. Tables 1 to 4 provide demographic details of their background.
Table 1: Demographics of Australian Participants Australian
participants Gender Age Suburb Education Current work
Participant 1 Male 23 Preston TAFE Part-time
Dental assistant Full-time Participant 2 Male 20 Maribyrnong BA.
Full-time
Bar person Casual Participant 3 Male 20 Maribyrnong BA.
Full-time
Toll worker Part-time Participant 4 Female 21 Box Hill BA.
Part-time
Operations manager Full-time
Participant 5 Female 19 Reservoir Year 12 Graduated
Customer service Part-time
Participant 6 Male 22 Essendon BA. Full-time
Sales assistant Casual
Participant 7 Female 21 Cheltenham Year 9 Graduated
IT consultant Full-time Participant 8 Female 23 South Morang Year 12
Graduated
Secretary Full-time Participant 9 Male 22 South Morang Year 10
Graduated
Plumber Full-time Participant 10 Female 25 West
Brunswick
Year 11 Graduated
Debt collector Full-time Participant 11 Male 23 Sandringham Year 12
Graduated
Airfare consultant Full-time
Participant 12 Male 21 Keilor BA. Full-time
Sales assistant Part-time Participant 13 Female 23 Rowville TAFE
Graduated
Front office
receptionist supervisor Full-time
Participant 14 Male 22 Sandringham TAFE Full-time
Front officer receptionist Casual Participant 15 Male 25 Reservoir Year 12
Graduated
Receptionist Full-time Participant 16 Male 23 Moonee
Ponds
BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 17 Male 19 Bentleigh TAFE
Full-time
Storeman Part-time Participant 18 Female 22 Glenroy Year 11
Graduated
Housekeeper Casual Participant 19 Female 22 Footscray BA.
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Table 2: Demographics of Thai Participants Thai
participants Gender Age Suburb Education Current work
Participant 1 Female 25 Pharkhanong BA. Graduated
Marketing executive Full-time
Participant 2 Male 22 Tharang BA. Graduated
Assistant
account manager Full-time
Participant 3 Female 21 Dusit BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 4 Female 22 Nonthaburi Dip.
Graduated
Sales assistant Full-time Participant 5 Male 25 Klongsan BA.
Graduated
Human resource officer
Full-time Participant 6 Male 22 Bangkoknoi Year 12
Part-time
Sales assistant Full-time Participant 7 Female 23 Thaweewattana MA.
Part-time
Academic assistant Full-time
Participant 8 Female 24 Lardpraw BA. Graduated
Project Officer Full-time Participant 9 Female 24 Donmung Dip.
Graduated
Officer Full-time Participant 10 Female 19 Yannawa BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 11 Male 23 Yannawa BA.
Graduated
Financial (trainee) Full-time
Participant 12 Male 19 Ramkhumhang BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 13 Male 19 Talingchan BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 14 Female 22 Talingchan BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 15 Female 20 Rajburana BA.
Full-time
Teacher Part-time Participant 16 Female 24 Phutthamonthon BA.
Graduated
Secretary Full-time Participant 17 Male 20 Talingchan BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 18 Male 19 Talingchan BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 19 Female 23 Yannawa BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 20 Male 20 Talingchan BA.
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Table 3: Demographics of Thai Participants Living in Australia Thai-Australian
participants Gender Age Suburb Education Current work
Participant 1 Female 23 Caulfield MA. Full-time
Waitress Part-time Participant 2 Female 25 North
Melbourne
BA. Graduated
Self employed Full-time Participant 3 Female 25 North
Melbourne
BA. Graduated
Waitress Part-time Participant 4 Female 24 Melbourne
CBD
MA. Graduated
Waitress Part-time Participant 5 Male 23 Abbotsford BA.
Graduated
Waiter Part-time Participant 6 Female 24 Abbotsford MA.
Graduated Not working
Participant 7 Male 21 Kew BA.
Full-time
Waiter Part-time Participant 8 Male 23 Richmond Dip.
Full-time
Chef Part-time Participant 9 Female 25 Heidelberg
West
MA. Graduated
Sandwich maker Part-time Participant 10 Female 23 Craigieburn MA.
Graduated Not working Participant 11 Female 24 Glen Iris MA.
Graduated Not working Participant 12 Male 25 Melbourne
CBD
MA. Graduated
Waiter Part-time Participant 13 Female 23 Caulfield East MA.
Full-time
Waitress Part-time Participant 14 Female 21 Glenhuntly MA.
Full-time Not working Participant 15 Female 25 East
Brunswick
BA. Full-time
Waitress Part-time Participant 16 Male 22 Melbourne
CBD
BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 17 Female 20 Melbourne
CBD
BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 18 Male 25 Melbourne
CBD
BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 19 Male 21 Melbourne
CBD
BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 20 Male 20 Melbourne
CBD
BA.
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Table 4: Demographics of Asian International Participants Living in Australia
Asian international
participants
Gender Age Suburb Education Current work
Participant 1 Female 21 Glenferrie BA.
Full-time Not working Participant 2 Female 24 Melbourne
CBD
MA. Graduated
Waitress Part-time Participant 3 Male 25 Footscray BA.
Graduated Not working Participant 4 Female 25 St. Albans BA.
Withdrew
Sales assistant Full-time
Participant 5 Male 21 Kew MA.
Full-time Not working Participant 6 Female 24 Reservoir BA.
Full-time
Cashier Part-time Participant 7 Female 25 Brunswick BA.
Graduated
Laboratory analyst Full-time
Participant 8 Female 22 Chadstone
Advanced Dip. Graduated
Team leader Part-time Participant 9 Male 25 Chadstone MA.
Full-time
Team leader Part-time Participant 10 Female 24 Balwyn BA.
Graduated
Waitress Part-time Participant 11 Female 23 Balwyn BA.
Graduated
Waitress Part-time Participant 12 Female 23 Brunswick Dip.
Graduated
Chef Casual Participant 13 Male 24 Brunswick MA.
Graduated Not working Participant 14 Male 25 Box Hill MA.
Full-time
Education advisor Part-time
Participant 15 Male 25 Burnley MA. Full-time
Engineer analyst Full-time
Participant 16 Female 25 Murrumbeena MA.
Full-time Not working Participant 17 Male 22 Kew TAFE
Full-time
Chef Casual
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