Hvorfor vender de unge ryggen til licensen? En undersøgelse af de danske unges manglende villighed til at betale licens

Abstract

This project examines why a large percentage of Danish youth refuse to pay the mandatory license fee to Danmarks Radio (DR) – the national public service broadcasting company. Analyzed from a social constructivist point of view and based on empirical evidence, this project contends that the Danish youth possess an unfavorable attitude towards the license fee. It also identifies the existence of social pressure among the youth not to pay the license fee and argues that it is out of date with cultural development. It is argued that DR should aim to create legitimacy around the license fee to win back support from the youth and a variety of initiatives to do so are suggested. Youth perception of the license fee is analyzed through a discourse analysis, from which it is concluded that the youth primarily construct the license fee negatively. They perceive the license fee as outdated and want a payment model that is modern, cheaper and allows more freedom of choice. The issue is also analyzed from a cultural branding perspective, concluding that the license fee has failed to follow the cultural development. Moreover, the myth DR tells about the license fee no longer resonates with the youth. External factors in DR’s surroundings are identified and taken into account when analyzing why the youth refuse to pay the license fee. It is concluded that the fast developing media market is a key factor. This project also examines how DR exists and operates as a public institution in a complex political setting, limiting its capacity to act and communicate in a way that meets the youth’s expectations. It further discusses how being a public institution makes it difficult to create a positive reputation which can have an impact on the youth’s perception of the license fee. It is concluded that DR should focus on building legitimacy of the license fee to win back the support from the youth and thereby secure their future existence. Different ways to build legitimacy are discussed and a number of concrete recommendations are presented.