ABSTRACT
As was dem onstrated throughout this book, the media today operate as per vasive, yet often imperceptible, elements in the everyday cultures of chil dren and young people. For example, television is a stable companion after school hours, music is a mood creator, and electronic games may be cata lysts for meeting friends. In very concrete terms, the media help structure time and space for their users, just as their various genres, formats, and social uses serve as symbolic means of meaning making and interpretation for the young. What may be term ed the thorough mediation of contempo rary juvenile culture means that the often complex constellation of media has become fundamental in the formation of the cultural identities of chil dren and young people.
