Dr Mohamed Kirat
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
Internet, the fastest developing communication technology in the world, the global “network of networks” has spread all over the world in very short time. To reach fifty million users it took the telephone 74 years, radio 38 years, personal computer 16 years, television 13 years while it took only four years for Internet. With the advent of the Internet and other advances in computer technology, the information age has reached the four corners of the globe. The explosive growth of computer technology in the last four decades will contribute tremendously to the development of interactive communication. The new communication technology, the World Wide Web provides various kinds of information to people worldwide, allowing exchange of information, ideas, discussions, advices, consultations, business on various issues and topics across national borders. It also gratifies surveillance, pastime, escapism, information, social interaction, entertainment and relaxation.
Internet as a substantial communication tool is characterised by information,versatility and interactivity. Internet users can find virtually all kinds of information on the net. The Web also performs all major functions of traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television and telephone. The network of networks delivers text, graphics, images, audio and video at the same time. Lastly, Internet provides an interactive many-to-many communication environment (e-mail, e-commerce, e-government, e-learning, e-education, social networks, discussion groups…etc). The Internet, therefore, has become in a short period of time the medium of the twenty first century in all aspects of life: government, trade, commerce, education, academia, research, politics, military, public relations, advertising, communications, diplomacy, leisure, entertainment…etc.
The rapid growth of the Internet has attracted the interest of media scholars to look at the new medium through the uses and gratifications theory because of the interactivity of the Internet and the theory’s main core assumption — audience activity. Thus, the theory seems ideally suited to studying the new medium. Internet requires from its users to be more active as compared to other traditional media. Internet users engage in using the medium by searching out information or exchange messages. They are receivers as well as senders. Internet use is goal-directed and users know the needs they are trying to satisfy. Therefore, Internet surfers are intentionally seeking out media content to satisfy certain needs (instrumental users), rather than using the media out of habit without having specific motivations (ritualistic users).
Hundreds if not thousands of studies looked at Internet patterns of use and gratifications among youth. The question is, however, how the youth are using the Internet and are making good use of it for acquiring knowledge, culture, languages and improving their scholastic performance. Findings suggest that only 15.3pc of the girls and 8.1pc of the boys use Internet for school work and research. This motivation of Internet use ranked eleven out of sixteen. Asked about Internet gratifications, only 14.7pc of females and 17.6pc of males mentioned research and learning. This striking finding explains that the students are not using the Internet as many might think — for school work and for their assignments. Thus, Internet penetration among college students does not mean necessarily a rational use of the new medium and a better scholastic performance. On the other hand, studies show the heavy use (between 6 to 12 hours a day) of Internet by students for electronic mail, Facebook, Twitter, music, indecent sites, chatting, leisure, entertainment, news and social interaction. These findings support the main assumption of the users and gratification theory which highlights social interaction, information, surveillance, companionship, relaxation, habit, entertainment, and escape as major motivational dimensions. Results of past research conducted on Internet uses and gratifications show that news, social interaction and surveillance are needs satisfied by the Internet. E-mail is found to be the most important motivation for Internet use, over 90pc of the respondents mentioned e-mail as motivation for use. Studies also suggested that information, entertainment and escape are important motivations for using Internet .
Use of new communication technologies does not automatically imply a rational and a positive utilisation of Internet. Many researchers argue that the use by itself is a good sign of development, emancipation, better results and even democracy. Past research on media and development, however, refuted such assumption and showed that the diffusion of the media and its extension to rural third world didn’t change that much in the life of the poor masses and that development and change need more than media penetration.
Likewise, high Internet penetration among youth does not necessarily mean a rational use of this technology for better college performance and other cultural and educational achievements.
Future research should address the issue of who set the patterns of use? And what are the factors that determine the motivations of use? Are Internet surfers intentionally seeking out specific needs and objectives (interactive users) ? Or does the Internet itself direct, impose and create certain types of behaviour and patterns among users and create in them some specific needs (passive users)? Some argue that the student’s background, level of education, scholastic performance,socio-economic status, personality and religious education determine to a large extent how the student interacts with the Internet and uses it. Others argue that the world of Internet opens the doors to a wide range of horizons and needs that the user has never thought of. This is a controversial question that should be raised seriously in the future by researchers and scholars.
The Peninsula
Kirat is a professor of Public Relations and Mass Communication at the Department of Mass Communication, Qatar University. By Dr Mohamed Kirat
Internet, the fastest developing communication technology in the world, the global “network of networks” has spread all over the world in very short time. To reach fifty million users it took the telephone 74 years, radio 38 years, personal computer 16 years, television 13 years while it took only four years for Internet. With the advent of the Internet and other advances in computer technology, the information age has reached the four corners of the globe. The explosive growth of computer technology in the last four decades will contribute tremendously to the development of interactive communication. The new communication technology, the World Wide Web provides various kinds of information to people worldwide, allowing exchange of information, ideas, discussions, advices, consultations, business on various issues and topics across national borders. It also gratifies surveillance, pastime, escapism, information, social interaction, entertainment and relaxation.
Internet as a substantial communication tool is characterised by information,versatility and interactivity. Internet users can find virtually all kinds of information on the net. The Web also performs all major functions of traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television and telephone. The network of networks delivers text, graphics, images, audio and video at the same time. Lastly, Internet provides an interactive many-to-many communication environment (e-mail, e-commerce, e-government, e-learning, e-education, social networks, discussion groups…etc). The Internet, therefore, has become in a short period of time the medium of the twenty first century in all aspects of life: government, trade, commerce, education, academia, research, politics, military, public relations, advertising, communications, diplomacy, leisure, entertainment…etc.
The rapid growth of the Internet has attracted the interest of media scholars to look at the new medium through the uses and gratifications theory because of the interactivity of the Internet and the theory’s main core assumption — audience activity. Thus, the theory seems ideally suited to studying the new medium. Internet requires from its users to be more active as compared to other traditional media. Internet users engage in using the medium by searching out information or exchange messages. They are receivers as well as senders. Internet use is goal-directed and users know the needs they are trying to satisfy. Therefore, Internet surfers are intentionally seeking out media content to satisfy certain needs (instrumental users), rather than using the media out of habit without having specific motivations (ritualistic users).
Hundreds if not thousands of studies looked at Internet patterns of use and gratifications among youth. The question is, however, how the youth are using the Internet and are making good use of it for acquiring knowledge, culture, languages and improving their scholastic performance. Findings suggest that only 15.3pc of the girls and 8.1pc of the boys use Internet for school work and research. This motivation of Internet use ranked eleven out of sixteen. Asked about Internet gratifications, only 14.7pc of females and 17.6pc of males mentioned research and learning. This striking finding explains that the students are not using the Internet as many might think — for school work and for their assignments. Thus, Internet penetration among college students does not mean necessarily a rational use of the new medium and a better scholastic performance. On the other hand, studies show the heavy use (between 6 to 12 hours a day) of Internet by students for electronic mail, Facebook, Twitter, music, indecent sites, chatting, leisure, entertainment, news and social interaction. These findings support the main assumption of the users and gratification theory which highlights social interaction, information, surveillance, companionship, relaxation, habit, entertainment, and escape as major motivational dimensions. Results of past research conducted on Internet uses and gratifications show that news, social interaction and surveillance are needs satisfied by the Internet. E-mail is found to be the most important motivation for Internet use, over 90pc of the respondents mentioned e-mail as motivation for use. Studies also suggested that information, entertainment and escape are important motivations for using Internet .
Use of new communication technologies does not automatically imply a rational and a positive utilisation of Internet. Many researchers argue that the use by itself is a good sign of development, emancipation, better results and even democracy. Past research on media and development, however, refuted such assumption and showed that the diffusion of the media and its extension to rural third world didn’t change that much in the life of the poor masses and that development and change need more than media penetration.
Likewise, high Internet penetration among youth does not necessarily mean a rational use of this technology for better college performance and other cultural and educational achievements.
Future research should address the issue of who set the patterns of use? And what are the factors that determine the motivations of use? Are Internet surfers intentionally seeking out specific needs and objectives (interactive users) ? Or does the Internet itself direct, impose and create certain types of behaviour and patterns among users and create in them some specific needs (passive users)? Some argue that the student’s background, level of education, scholastic performance,socio-economic status, personality and religious education determine to a large extent how the student interacts with the Internet and uses it. Others argue that the world of Internet opens the doors to a wide range of horizons and needs that the user has never thought of. This is a controversial question that should be raised seriously in the future by researchers and scholars.
The Peninsula
Kirat is a professor of Public Relations and Mass Communication at the Department of Mass Communication, Qatar University.
