Exploratory Analysis on Television’s Diverse Functions and Its Formative Role in the Lives of Older Adults in Portugal

Abstract

Objective: Historically, television has been regarded as the mass medium that is most closely associated with audiences’ needs and expectations. In the context of rapid population ageing, older adults now inhabit a progressively important place in society, and they remain the most frequent consumers of broadcast television. This study investigates the formative role of television among Portuguese older adults—combining informal learning, cognitive engagement, and social connection. It explores how TV contributes to well-being and participation in later life. Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted with 203 participants aged 65 to 94. Results: Television continues to play a fundamental role in older adults’ everyday lives, mitigating loneliness and promoting happiness, information, and life satisfaction. We also saw that higher TV consumption is related with superior income and residence in urban areas. Conclusions: The findings highlight television’s enduring formative and compensatory functions and contribute to ongoing debates on active ageing, media literacy, and digital inclusion among older adults.

1. Introduction

Portugal, with an annual growth of 2%, has one of the highest percentages of older adults in Europe [1]. By 2080, there will be 300 older adults for every 100 young people [2]. This data underlines that understanding the media habits of older adults important not only for academic reasons, but also for media production companies. Their use of media is active and more resolute [3,4,5,6,7,8]. Because television satisfies numerous roles in their lives where formative intentions such as informal learning, cognitive stimulation, and companionship are highlighted, it remains the medium that they consume the most [5,9,10,11].

Despite the extensive international literature on media use and ageing, empirical research focusing on Portuguese older adults remains scarce, particularly concerning television’s formative and affective dimensions. This study thus provides a first empirical exploration of how television contributes to informal learning, cognitive engagement, and well-being among older adults in Portugal—offering insights that may be relevant to ageing societies more broadly. Building on this gap, the present work also seeks to integrate theoretical perspectives that connect classical and contemporary understandings of media use in later life.

This study builds on these classical perspectives while engaging with recent approaches on digital divides, media literacy, and media well-being [12,13,14]. While the classical Uses and Gratifications paradigm [8,10,15] emphasized the active audience and the functional satisfaction of informational and affective needs, more recent frameworks underline how these processes now unfold within digitally mediated environments marked by interactivity, platformization, affordances and algorithmic selection [3,6]. In this sense, our work situates television at the intersection of continuity and transformation: it remains a familiar medium of everyday life but operates within a broader communicative ecology shaped by online media, streaming services, and social networks. By placing these frameworks in dialogue, we aim to demonstrate how television continues to fulfil and even redefine uses and gratifications under new technological and social conditions, sustaining its formative and integrative functions for older adults despite profound shifts in media consumption patterns.

Within this theoretical background, the following approach outlines the key assumptions of the Uses and Gratifications framework and its relevance to older adults. This approach intends to outline a framework for explaining why individuals choose to use a specific medium (uses) to fulfil specific needs through their engagement (gratifications) [6,7,12,14,16,17]. The use of media for formative roles is present in Katz and Blumler’s [8] and Rubin’s [15] frameworks who suggested that media shapes consumer behavior by proposing platforms that are used to emphasize the fulfilment of needs such as entertainment, social connection, and information (formative intentions).

This is present in Dennis McQuail’s [17] statement that media consumption answers to the need for surveillance (to be informed) and in Adler et al.’s [18] belief of the existence of projective identification. Both proposals illustrate television’s formative capacity to integrate information and self-reflection as part of cognitive and emotional engagement.

When it comes to older adults, these formative intentions are important because as one tends to grow older, as explained by the theory of withdrawal, one tends to withdraw from his role in society [19]. This aspect is also present in the use of technology [20,21,22], particularly among older adults living in rural areas [23,24,25] and those with fewer economic resources and lower education levels [13,26]. Because media acts also as formative tool (elective selection), it helps dimmish these limitations and helps with wellbeing for this demographic [27,28,29].

The use of TV for learning by older adults (its formative dimension) has long been recognized [10,11,17]. For these scholars, it works as a compensatory medium that strengthens cognitive commitment and provides emotional balance. This happens because it responds to two orders of needs—one is ritualized (routine use) and the other is instrumentalized (more purposeful) [28]. It is within this proposal that TV fulfils a structural purpose (based on environmental intentions) and a relational one (its contents—such as news—provide a common ground of subjects and themes) [9,30]. Thus, it helps them feel integrated into society [10,11,28,31]. TV is also used in a compensatory manner concerning their limits (both physical and mental) [32].

It is within this context that the formative role of TV significantly affects older adults. It is both a tool for learning and reinforcing personal identity [17]. It provides cognitive stimulation because it helps access culture and information contents [12,28,30,32,33,34,35]. Within this scope, we can also see that it improves health literacy [36] and promotes the existence of positive social interactions and gaining new knowledge, while it also serves as a form of evasion (“parasocial relationship”), comfort (ontological security), and a coping tool [12,32,37,38,39,40]. Because it helps maintain mental activity, emotional stability, and social connection in ageing, these functions clarify television’s formative role to life satisfaction and well-being.

Through the promotion lifelong learning and cognitive incentive, it helps bridge the digital divide (the perception that older adults have a lesser ability to use technology), and thereby enables older adults to lead more meaningful lives [12,13,28,37,38,41,42]. Overall, we can see that TV remains a significant resource for personal development and cognitive engagement for older adults.

Television portrays numerous roles in older adults’ lives. However, this topic has received minimal attention in recent years. Besides some studies addressing the ways in which elders are portrayed on television [43], the role this medium plays in their everyday lives [12], the use of current distribution services such as interactive platforms, streaming, video-on-demand, and mobile devices [44,45,46,47,48,49,50], and the recent inclination for “binge watching” among this demographic [51], has not been addressed. In fact, within the Portuguese context, little to nothing has been done to comprehend its broader formative and social functions. Existing studies frequently focus on representation or media access, while few assess television’s formative role using well-being and active ageing as a scientific scope. Therefore, we believe that by merging classical media theories with current debates regarding digital inclusion and older adult’s engagement with this medium, this study attempts to channel that gap and provide to a better understanding of how television remains meaningful in later life contexts.

We hypothesize the formative role of television as a multidimensional concept that incorporates (a) informal learning (TV as a medium for obtaining knowledge and information), (b) cognitive stimulation (a way of preserving mental activity and engagement), and (c) social integration (promoting a sense of belonging and emotional connection) through information and entertainment.

Following Hofer [28], Lull [9], and Rubin [15] proposals, we recognize this formative aspect not just as educational but as a larger process of upholding continuity, participation, and engagement in later life. Hence, our theoretical outline encapsulates classical Uses and Gratifications outlooks [8,10] with recent outlines concerning media, well-being, and digital inclusion [12,13] which emphasize how television works as both an informational and affective medium that promotes learning, cognitive engagement, and a possible sense of belonging. We believe this provides a consistent basis for our empirical analyses. Building on this, the present study conceptualizes TV as a multidimensional construct that can help well-being and active ageing. This study prolongs Uses and Gratifications theoretical approach by demonstrating its applicability in hybrid (linear and digital) media contexts among older adults.

Centered on this background, the present study examines the role that television represents for older adults, highlights any contemporary variations that may have arisen, and seeks to understand the social impact and extent of its social and formative impact within this age group. Specifically, the objectives of this study are as follows:

Objective 1: Characterize the television consumption habits of a sample of Portuguese older adults.

Objective 2: Examine how television consumption is associated with subjective well-being, loneliness, and demographic factors such as residence, education, and income.

Objective 3: Identify the perceived formative and social impact of television in older adults’ everyday lives.

2. Method

2.1. Sample

The sample consisted of 203 Portuguese older adults. Most of the respondents 128 were female (63%) and 75 were male (36.9%). They were aged between 65 and 74 years old (n = 106, 52.2% of the sample). Followed by those aged 75 to 84 years (n = 69 participants, 34% of the total) and individuals who were aged 85 years or older (n = 28, 13.8%). About 36.9% had completed higher education (university/college), while 22.2% finished high school or secondary school. Of the sample, 31.0% had completed primary school. More than half, 54.2% (110 individuals) affirmed that they lived in urban areas, while 45.8% (93 individuals) said that they reside in rural settings. Almost half of the individuals in this sample (45.3%) reported having a monthly income above €1000 and 36.9% said that they earned between €550 and €1000.

2.2. Procedure

The survey was administered to the sample on paper and through Google forms. It comprised two parts. In the first we applied closed—nature questions. This way individuals could show their feelings towards TV’s role in their lives through more answers. To measure the potential intentions for consuming TV and the role that it plays in older adults’ lives, in the second part of the survey, we applied propositions, organized through a Likert model, whose answers were ordered in a range that goes from “totally disagree” to “totally agree”. This way we could quantify their attitudes [52]. All data was collected anonymously. The study followed the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki [53] and received approval from the Research Ethics Committee of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (Ref. 2024/TV-AGE) and it was also approved by the Scientific Committee of the Doctoral School of the University of Salamanca, where this is investigation is being conducted. Participation was voluntary, and written informed consents were obtained from all respondents before the process of collecting data. Because ensuring gender and regional diversity is essential, the sampling approach was centered on accessibility through senior universities and community centers and was provided online.

2.3. Instruments

To evaluate the TV role on older adults several variables were included in the survey such as TV consumption, habits intentions for consuming TV and advantages of watching TV. Sociodemographic variables such as educational level, residence area and incomes were included in the questionnaire.

The items referring to television consumption habits, intentions for consuming and perceived advantages of watching it were adapted from corroborated instruments already used in previous studies [10,11,28,32]. Based on these investigations, the questionnaire included items that measured ritualized (routine and entertainment-related) and instrumental (information- and learning-oriented) uses of this medium. To ensure content validity, each item was contextualized to Portuguese cultural linguistic specificities. It was also reviewed by three experts in media and ageing studies and a pilot test with 12 older adults (aged 65–80) was conducted to verify clarity, comprehension, and cultural appropriateness. Minor language adjustments were made using their feedback.

All items were measured using four-point Likert-type scales, ranging from “totally disagree” (1) to “totally agree” (4), where respondents revealed their level of agreement. Responses were considered and analyzed both individually and as markers related to the three proposed categories: (a) consumption patterns, (b) intentions for consuming TV, and (c) perceived advantages. The choice of this scale was made to avoid central tendency bias and encourage more discriminative answers among the participants. This approach follows inputs from other gerontological studies [54] which highlight the importance of the use of simplified scales for ageing populations. Internal consistency was assessed through reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha), which showed satisfactory values (α > 0.70) across dimensions.

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) Diener [55] measures the level of satisfaction with life in the general population. The original scale was composed of 5 items: item 1: “In most ways my life is close to my ideal”; item 2: “The conditions of my life are excellent”; item 3: “I am satisfied with my life”; item 4: “So far I have gotten the important things I want in life”; and item 5: “If I could live my life afresh, I would change almost nothing”. The answer scales were composed of 7 points where 1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree. In this study, the answer scale was 6 points. The internal consistency index for the original scale was α = 0.87 and the item-total correlations were: item 1 = 0.75, item 2 = 0.69, item 3 = 0.75, item 4 = 0.67 and item 5 = 0.57. The SWLS has been adapted for the Portuguese population in previous research [56,57,58,59].

The University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA-6) Russell [60] is a psychological assessment tool that is used to measure subjective feelings regarding loneliness or social isolation. Normally respondents rate items on Likert scale, ranging from never (1) to often (4). Higher scores indicate greater loneliness. The Cronbach’s alpha for the general scale was acceptable (α = 0.70). As already mentioned, the scale was validated for the Portuguese population [61].

2.4. Analysis

The statistical processes of this study were conducted using JASP 0.18.3 [62] at a 5% of significance level.

First, descriptive analyses (frequencies and percentages) were performed to describe television consumption outlines (hours per day, preferred contents, and viewing times).

Second, the variables related to the three main conceptual categories proposed in the questionnaire—(a) consumption patterns, (b) intentions for consuming TV, and (c) supposed advantages of watching TV—were surveyed in relation to sociodemographic indicators (education level, area of residence, and income). Chi-square tests (χ²) were applied to assess associations between categorical variables such as educational level, residence area and incomes, following conventional thresholds of statistical significance (p < 0.05) [63,64]. The analysis respected a sequential approach meant to explore the relationships between television use, formative functions, and subjective well-being among older adults. In addition, aggregated scores for the subscales “Intentions for consuming TV” and “Perceived advantages” were computed as mean indices, allowing exploratory correlations analyses (Pearson’s r) with life satisfaction and loneliness to identify potential formative effects of television on emotional and cognitive well-being. These associations were obtained through Chi-square tests (χ²) and Pearson’s (r) as it is more appropriate for metric data.

Third, to evaluate the relationship between television use and subjective indicators of well-being, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted, comparing groups with different levels of daily TV consumption (<1 h, 2–5 h, >5 h) in terms of Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and UCLA-6 Loneliness Scale scores. The Kolmogorov and Levene tests (p > 0.05) confirmed normality and homogeneity of variances, which allowed for parametric testing. When significant differences were found, Tukey’s HSD post hoc test comparisons were used considering all comparisons referring to the same minimum difference. Effect sizes (η²) were processed with one-way ANOVA tests to assess the magnitude of group differences, after validating its assumptions [63]. Following Cohen’s [65] criteria, η² values of 0.01, 0.06, and 0.14 were interpreted as small, moderate, and large effects, respectively.

Reliability and internal consistency of these indices were verified through Cronbach’s alpha (α > 0.70). The Fisher–Snedecor F statistic was applied throughout, accepting p-values below 0.05 as statistically significant.

3. Results

Descriptive statistics of TV consumption habits, intentions, and perceived advantages are presented in Appendix A (

Table A1. Descriptive results of the TV consumption habits for Portuguese Older Adults.

TV Consumption Habits	Answers	n	%
Do you normally watch TV	Yes	189	93.1
	No	14	6.9
At what time do you watch TV	Morning	4	2.0
	Lunch	8	3.9
	Afternoon	12	5.9
	Dinner	10	4.9
	Night	96	47.3
	During the day	61	30.0
	Doesn’t consume	12	5.9
What type of TV is consumed?	Information	179	88.2
	TV contests	65	32.0
	Sports	55	27.1
	Movies	55	27.1
	Soap operas/TV series	63	31.0
	Documentaries	85	41.9
Hours of TV consumption per day	Less than 1 h	33	16.3
	Between 2 and 5 h	148	72.9
	More than 5 h	22	10.8

,

Table A2. Frequencies of intentions for consuming TV for Portuguese older adults.

	Totally Disagree		Disagree		Agree		Totally Agree
Intentions for Consuming TV	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Be more informed	6	5.8	3	2.9	62	60.2	32	31.1
Clarify doubts	7	6.8	24	23.3	61	59.2	11	10.7
Follow topics and issues that interest me	6	5.8	5	4.9	64	62.1	28	27.2
Learn new things	8	7.8	9	8.7	60	58.3	26	25.2
Know what’s going on in the world	5	4.9	2	1.9	46	44.7	50	48.5
Have fun (feel evaded)	6	5.8	3	2.9	62	60.2	32	31.1
A believable medium	7	6.8	24	23.3	61	59.2	11	10.7
Occupy my free time	6	5.8	5	4.9	64	62.1	28	27.2
Feel entertained	8	7.8	9	8.7	60	58.3	26	25.2
Feel that it keeps me company	5	4.9	2	1.9	46	44.7	50	48.5

and

Table A3. Frequencies of advantages of watching TV for Portuguese older adults.

	Totally Disagree		Disagree		Agree		Totally Agree
Advantages of Watching TV	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Intensify my beliefs	29	14.6	55	53.4	24	23.3	9	8.7
Have social status in my community	31	30.1	53	51.5	19	18.4	0	0
Keep my friendships	33	32.0	49	47.6	19	18.4	2	1.9
Hang out with my friends	32	31.1	46	44.7	20	19.4	5	4.9
Organize my day	32	31.1	45	43.7	21	20.4	5	4.9

).

As shown in Appendix A, Table A1, most respondents, 189 individuals (93.1%), reported watching TV regularly. The evening is the preferred time (n = 96; 47.3%) to watch this medium. In what regards content preferences, 179 individuals (88.2%) said that they watch TV news, 85 (41.9%) appreciate documentaries, 63 (31%) enjoy TV series and soap operas. Within the sample, 55 (27.1%) appreciate to watch movies and sports. Most participants acknowledged that they watch television for 2 to 5 h per day (n = 148; 72.9%). While, in contrast, about 16% (n = 33) reported spending less than 1 h watching TV, and 10.8% (n = 22) indicated that they consume it for more than 5 h a day. These answers show that television continues to play an important role in their lives and information seeking is regarded as one of the most significant attractions for these individuals’ consumption of this medium. Twelve individuals declared that they do not watch TV.

Appendix A, Table A2 summarizes the respondent’s main intentions for consuming TV. Most of them consider that TV allows them to be more informed (91.3%). It helps clarify their doubts (69.9%), and helps them learn new things (83.5%), thus, highlighting the educational role of this medium. Furthermore, respondents view television as a fun (91.3%) reliable medium (69.9%). It is also a form of entertainment (83.5%) that helps them spend their free time (89.3%) and provides them with companionship (93.2%).

Appendix A, Table A3, shows the perceived advantages of watching TV. Most of the sample said television does not reinforce their beliefs (68%), and (81.6%) do not believe that it enhances their social status within the community or helps them maintain friendships (79.6%) or facilitates socializing with friends (75.8%). It is also not seen as being useful for structuring their daily routines (74.8%).

Table 1. Frequencies of advantages of watching TV (information) for Portuguese older adults.

	Totally Disagree		Disagree		Agree		Totally Agree
Advantages of Watching TV (Information)	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Follow news from where I live	12	11.7	27	26.2	44	42.7	20	19.4
Follow news from my country	4	3.9	2	1.9	67	65.0	30	29.1
Accompany news from the world	4	3.9	1	1.0	65	63.1	33	32.0
Kill time	5	4.9	26	25.2	55	53.4	17	16.5
Pass the day	7	6.8	27	26.2	47	45.6	22	21.4
Fight loneliness	3	2.9	17	16.5	62	60.2	21	20.4
As a source of quick access to information	6	5.8	19	18.4	62	60.2	16	15.5
Access health news	8	7.8	40	38.8	39	37.9	16	15.5
Dealing with my physical limitations	19	18.4	42	40.8	32	31.1	10	9.7
Feel safe	17	16.5	61	59.2	20	19.4	5	4.9
Dealing with my mental health.	16	15.5	38	36.9	40	38.8	9	8.7
Organize my day	28	27.2	57	55.3	13	12.6	5	4.9
Be informed	5	4.9	4	3.9	67	65.0	27	26.2
Deal better with my limitations	17	16.5	54	52.4	25	24.3	7	6.8

shows that most respondents believe watching TV helps them stay informed about local news (62.1%), national news (94.1%), and global news (95.1%). It also helps them kill time (69.9%), pass the day (67%), and combat loneliness (80.6%). TV is perceived as a quick source of information (75.7%) that keeps them informed (91.2%), emphasizing its role as an educational tool.

However, some respondents (59.2%) expressed doubts about TV’s effectiveness in providing health news. About half of the sample (59.2%) do not believe TV helps them manage physical limitations, and most (75.7%) feel it does not provide a sense of safety. Regarding mental health, a portion of the sample (52.4%) does not consider TV helpful in coping with mental limitations or organizing their day (83%).

Regarding the relationship between the sample’s education levels and TV consumption it was seen that consumption between 2 and 5 h a day is evident at all. Through a Chi-squared test we saw that there is no significant relationship between the variables “education level” and “TV consumption” (χ² (6) = 9.725, p = 0.137).

Table 2. Relationships between education level and number of hours of TV that are seen by older adults.

	Less than 1 h	Between 2 and 5 h	More than 5 h
	n %	n %	n %
Education level				χ2 (6) p 9.725 0.063
No education	4 (2.0)	11 (5.4)	5 (2.5)
Basic and primary education	12 (5.9)	42 (20.7)	9 (4.4)
High school	5 (2.5)	36 (17.7)	4 (2.0)
Higher education	12 (5.9)	59 (29.1)	4 (2.0)

shows the observed frequency between educational level and TV consumption.

When addressing issues concerning the hours of television consumption between individuals from different regions (rural and urban), there are no significant differences. Nonetheless, older adults who live in urban areas tend to have higher TV consumption (54.2%). The Chi-Square test was used to determine whether there was an association between the number of hours of daily television consumption (<1 h, between 2 and 5 h, >5 h) and the participants’ area of residence. The results, presented in

Table 3. Frequency of TV viewing hours by geographic area and monthly income.

	Less than 1 h	Between 2 and 5 h	More than 5 h
Residence area	n/%	n/%	n/%
Resides in a rural area	18 (8.9)	66 (32.5)	9 (4.4)	(χ2 (2) = 1.315, p = 0.518).
Resides in an urban area	15 (7.4)	82 (40.4)	13 (6.4)
Monthly income	n/%	n/%	n/%
Less than 500€	9 (4.4)	23 (11.3)	4 (2.0)	(χ2 = 1.13, p = 0.689).
Between 500€ and 1000€	14 (6.9)	51 (25.1)	10 (4.9)
More than 1000€	10 (4.9)	74 (36.5)	8 (3.4)

, showed that there is no statistically significant association between the residence area (χ² = 1.315, p = 0.518) and incomes (χ² (2) = 1.13, p = 0.689).

Finally, in

Table 4. Variance analysis of the relationship between TV consumption, satisfaction with life and loneliness.

TV Consumption/Satisfaction with Life	N	M	DT	p Value
Less than 1 h	33	3.56	0.78	0.001 *
Between 2 and 5 h	148	3.80	0.85
More than 5 h	22	4.09	0.78
TV Consumption/Loneliness	N	M	DT	p Value
Less than 1 h		33.46	11.57	0.030
Between 2 and 5 h		29.38	9.53
More than 5 h		37.36	9.22

* p value < 0.005.

, when examining subjective well-being, using the SWLS, we found that older adults who watch more TV tend to report having superior life satisfaction level (F = 2.59, p < 0.05). Therefore, it can be inferred that they are likely happier. This suggests a potential link between TV consumption and well-being. Tukey post hoc comparations showed significand differences between less than hour group and more than 5 h. Regarding loneliness there was a significant difference (F = 1.22, p > 0.05).

4. Discussion

In this study, we observed that television continues to play an important role for Portuguese older adults. Almost all individuals report watching TV. They declared that they consumed between two and five hours daily, primarily at night. These findings support other studies e.g. [12,39,50]. In this sense, older adults consider that TV has an important role in their daily lives, mainly in the evening. These results can be understood through the scope of media resilience [28] because they demonstrate that conventional television maintains its social and cognitive significance even when it is placed in rapidly digitalized environment. For older adults, TV offers stability and familiarity—these are key aspects of active ageing and everyday well-being [41]. Consequently, its formative role goes beyond entertainment, informal learning, cognitive commitment, and emotional assistance. These findings extend earlier uses and gratifications research [9,10] by demonstrating that television’s traditional gratifications—information, companionship, and entertainment—now operate within a hybrid environment shaped by digital media and social isolation. In this sense, our results confirm and update classical models, considering recent frameworks on media well-being [12] and digital divides [13]. While the observed effects were relative in size, they underline meaningful associations between television use and well-being indicators, suggesting that even characteristic media practices might show quantifiable formative and affective value in later life contexts.

Respondents reported that they enjoy watching TV news, documentaries, series, soap operas, movies, and sports. It is considered as a reliable medium, a source of entertainment, and a valuable tool for both information and education. Many participants also said that TV helps them with their doubts and learn new things. This highlights TV’s educational and informative role. For older adults, television is regarded as a helpful way for spending their free time. It works as a companion, fights loneliness, and provides a sense of escape or distraction. For many, it is a way to pass the day and stay engaged, thus, reinforcing TV’s importance in their daily lives. This affective connection supports the idea that television functions as a “symbolic companion” [29], that has the ability of mediating the tension between loneliness and social connection. In this sense, television contributes for the existence of psychological continuity, helping individuals preserve routines, memories, and a sense of participation in public life.

Generally, the sampled individuals also do not believe that television reinforces their personal beliefs or helps them structure their daily routines. This suggests that its influence in organizing their daily life is minimal. Furthermore, most participants do not regard TV as something that enhances their social role, fulfills deeper personal or social needs. It also does not encourage their interaction with friends. These findings imply a limited social and instrumental function of this medium in their lives. Thus, while it serves as a source of information and entertainment, TV does not significantly help social engagement or collective belonging. This pattern reflects what [13] call the “grey digital divide” which considers that older adults remain connected as media consumers but are often excluded from more interactive or participatory communication. Television thus offers some degree of inclusion through access but also reproduces forms of isolation, reinforcing its ambivalent role as both a connector and a separator in later life contexts [20,21].

Part of the sample considers that TV allows them to follow news from their locality (62.1%), their country, and the world. Most respondents stated that TV is a quick and reliable source of information (91.2%), emphasizing television’s formative contribution to their sense of awareness and social participation. Like other studies [23,24,25,26], we found that individuals living in urban areas consume more TV. This result may indicate that media use among urban older adult’s functions as a tool of cognitive stimulation and informational connection in an otherwise fragmented digital ecosystem. In contrast, those in rural areas may depend more on television due to limited access to digital infrastructures, reinforcing inequalities in digital participation [22].

Television’s instrumental role for this sample of older adults appears less significant. Contrary to other studies [9,39], respondents do not consider TV useful for structuring daily routines or organizing their day. They also believe TV does not help with mental issues, dealing with restrictions, or providing a sense of safety. Additionally, they indicated that TV does not help with physical limitations, suggesting that the “parasocial relationship” and “coping tool” functions of television have diminished. However, data showed that older adults who consume more TV are likely happier. This connection can be understood through the concept of compensatory media use [12] associated with this medium because it supports emotional regulation and provides representational continuity when social roles and external incentives decline. Therefore, television works as a promoter of well-being and an affective standard, withstanding self-perception, and support in the ageing process. Similar patterns have also been identified in other European contexts, such as Sweden [37] and the Netherlands [29] and Germany [12]. They propose that the persistence of television as a formative and affective medium is a wider European occurrence rather than exclusively Portuguese reality. However, cultural and linguistic aspects may impact how older adults in Portugal confer symbolic and emotional meaning to TV consumption. Therefore, beyond validating TV’s role as being meaningful for older adults, this study’s findings show that this medium can be thought as being part of lifelong learning and cognitive engagement processes. This aspect is aligned with the Active Ageing Framework [41].

This study has several limitations. The surveyed sample serves primarily as an exploratory representation of this age group. Future studies should try to expand the sample by including older adults from other countries and that live under various living conditions (e.g., long-term care facilities). Additionally, exploring the consumption of TV through digital formats (e.g., streaming services or mobile platforms), as done by Sundar and Limperos [6], should also be addressed. Future research should also investigate how the transition from broadcast to on-demand television impacts the formative roles identified in this study and attempt to see and measure if the same cognitive and emotional gratifications continue to happen in more interactive contexts.

As an endnote, we believe that this study extends classical Uses and Gratifications approaches by demonstrating that TV’s formative uses are still important for cognitive engagement, emotional regulation, and a more proactive social presence in later life. From an academic perspective, it links traditional functionalist models with contemporary perspectives. Concerning this, we can see, for example, that today, older adults, along with younger generations, are among the groups most affected by misinformation [39,66,67]. Future studies, for example, should study how older adults are affected by this reality and attempt to comprehend the potential role of TV as a formative tool in addressing it. Since television remains a primary access to information for this age-group, we consider that strengthening media literacy and critical viewing skills is important. Thus, encouraging media education programs specifically designed for older adults might enhance their ability to use information environments, lessening the risks of occurring misinformation and reinforcing television’s potential as a constructive and formative platform. In doing so, this study contributes with empirical data to ongoing debates regarding active and healthy ageing and it can help strengthen older adult’s critical awareness, activity, and quality of life.

5. Conclusions

This study delivers an updated understanding of the role of television in the lives of Portuguese older adults. It remains a central medium for information, entertainment, and emotional connection. Television also continues to act as a formative medium. It supports informal learning, cognitive engagement, and companionship. This medium’s persistence highlights the presence of resilience. And despite the growing influence of digital platforms and newer TV proposals, traditional television still realizes cognitive and affective needs that contribute to subjective well-being in later life contexts.

At the same time, the findings reveal an uncertain relationship between inclusion and exclusion. While television keeps older adults informed and socially connected, it may also reinforce informational dependence and limited participation in digital spaces. This is, in part, what Olsson and Viscovi [13] term the grey digital divide. Understanding this ambivalence is essential for developing strategies that preserve television’s formative potential while promoting critical and reflective engagement with media content.

Television’s compensatory role is also evident. It provides emotional stability, temporal continuity, and a sense of belonging in daily life, mainly for individuals who experience isolation or show reduced social participation. These aspects highlight the enduring importance of television as a means for well-being and active ageing. These specifications also point out the need for the development of age-friendly media policies that encourage accessibility, representation, and participation of older adults in the media landscape. Hence, encouraging broadcasters and content producers to implement inclusive and intergenerational communication strategies might help lessen cultural and technological divides between age groups and promote joint understanding and social stability.

In this perspective, lifelong learning proposals that are based on integrating media education and digital skills should be considered as fundamental factors of active-ageing strategies. By associating television’s formative potential to broader agendas of social inclusion, digital citizenship, and cultural participation, this study also provides insights for the design of environments where older adults are not only media consumers but also valuable members in public life.

Future studies should increase the empirical range by including diverse cultural and technological contexts to verify whether the multidimensional formative role of TV (informal learning, cognitive stimulation, and social integration) works similarly across societies. They should also explore how the development from linear (broadcast) to digital and on-demand television transforms this medium’s formative and compensatory roles in relation to classical Uses and Gratifications approaches and contemporary models of media resilience [6]. Media and digital literacy programs, tailored for older adults and intergenerational media proposals and contexts, should also be encouraged to strengthen critical awareness and resilience against misinformation and endorse a greater level of media inclusion. Through this, TV can continue not only as a companion medium, but as a redesigned accessible tool for informal and lifelong learning, cognitive engagement, and social participation. It must also be regarded and used as a proposal for lifelong learning and democratic participation in a society that is continuously ageing.

This investigation’s results also support suggestions that might assist European strategies regarding digital inclusion and age-friendly communication under the Active and Healthy Ageing framework [41] and provide empirical data that might inform media policy and eventual cross-generational learning activities.