• Media often unbalanced and selective in reporting on young people • Young People generally perceived positively in Society • Limited Desire to Go Back in Time A new survey examining attitudes to young people reveals that young people are generally perceived positively by society, but are treated unfairly or harshly by the media. Almost seven out of 10 people (66%) polled say that they view young people in a positive light. However, when it comes to the representation of young people by the media, a similar two in three (68%) strongly agree the media feeds on negative stories, as negative news gets more attention. Half say that media reporting is often unbalanced and selective and fails to report good news stories about the youth of today. On the other hand, over a quarter (28%) do feel that young people deserve negative reporting as they need to “learn a lot of lessons”. People over 65 are more inclined to think this way. The findings are published today to coincide with the ‘permanent tsb Foróige Youth Citizenship Awards’. The awards recognise the positive contributions young people make to society. Fieldwork on the survey was undertaken to professional standards among 1,002 adults aged 16 and over by the market research company Behaviour & Attitudes.

Impact of Parenting on Youth

The survey shows parents come in for criticism when it comes to young people having troubled lives. 64% of people agree that young people wouldn’t get into trouble in the first place if they “had proper parental supervision”. Of those young people who do get into trouble the dominant perception is that these children do not have adequate supports, or positive experience, in their lives. The majority (82%) believe this is the case. Mairí McMahon, Chairperson, National Council of Foróige said, “We work with over 53,000 young people and in our experience, when given the correct supports, the majority of young people can and do make a positive difference to society. The Youth Citizenship Awards showcase young people from all over the country and from all across society at their very best. It takes everything that is great about young people – their idealism, their pride and their passion – and funnels it into positive community action. It is the flip side of the negative media attention that all too often follows the young.” David Guinane, Chief Executive, permanent tsb Bank said, “Our association with young people over the past four years through the Youth Citizenship Awards is extremely positive and rewarding. We salute their achievements and wish all the young people well.” Limited Desire to Go Back in Time Given the chance, 59% of people say they would not opt to relive their teenage years today. Men are more enthusiastic about being young again (52% of them would like to be teens again) as opposed to the minority of women (just 29%) who would choose to go back in time. Men may have a more positive recollection of their own youth, or perhaps a different view of how easy or hard the teenage years may be for the youth of today. Cheaper flights, access to education and having more money win out considerably ahead of experimentation with drugs, sex and alcohol as something older people would have liked more of when they were young. Teenage Roll Models Katie Taylor (64%), the golfers Shane Lowry & Rory McIlroy (40%), and Eoin Kelly (34%) who Captained Tipperary’s victorious All Ireland Hurling team were deemed the top three young roll models for Ireland’s youths by those polled. The top three older candidates for consideration as positive roll models for young people are President Mary McAleese (44%), recently retired GAA broadcaster Michael O’Mhuiritheagh (40%) and Rock star Bono (30%). Best advice for Younger People The two pieces of advice that society in general regards as the best advice for younger people today are “Treat others as you’d like to be treated yourself” (96% consider this a good guiding principle for young people) and “No one is perfect”(91%). The community work by the young people honoured at the ‘permanent tsb Foróige Youth Citizenship Awards” today will be broadcast in a two-part TV Series called “Ireland’s Top Teens” to be broadcast on TV3 at 6.15 on Sunday 7th and Sunday 14th November next. Editors Note The survey reported was undertaken between 7th and 20th September, among a nationally representative quota sample of 1,002 adults aged 16 and over by Behaviour & Attitudes. The fieldwork was undertaken by phone from the companies Milltown Dublin 6 Telephone Interviewing Centre, to the standards proscribed by the companies membership of ESOMAR, the market research society and AIMRO. Behaviour & Attitudes is Ireland’s largest independent market research agency, 25 years in operation, and is owned and run by its research team.