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Dissertaions UAE, News and reading in children, Online news reading habits paper, UAE youth habits
The Online News-Reading Habits of UAE Youth
- Background to the Study:-
News reading habit embraces a perpetual inclination towards enlightening oneself with daily information on a customary basis. Such systematic behavior is often evidenced through images extracted from everyday life where the head of the family sits completely immersed in the newspaper hardly aware of the paraphernalia of the chaotic family around him or where the zealous crossword solver is unable to proceed with his daily chores until he finds the word that fits into the square boxes. There are those who cannot wait to clothe themselves after shower and barely come draped in their bathrobes to grab the newspaper thrown at the doorstep. The absence of the newspaper appears to be a sort of inconvenience by virtue of their being an accustomed demeanor. One cannot label such wonted comportment to be any way a sort of addiction, the likes of alcohol or drug addiction but can be termed as a willful activity indulging in which brings a feeling of contentment to the mind. What remains the tempting factor in this sort of deportment has baffled editors from time to time and they are kept wondering whether such voracious readers return to the bundle of papers stuck under their doorstep every morning for their content or other aspects.
UAE with over 90 percent of educated population has been depicting a consistent interest in reading and gathering information related to myriad aspects through periodical publications and daily newspapers. With the proliferation of the World Wide Web and digital media there has been a dynamic shift towards rummaging information on the online platform, a fact which is more prominently witnessed in the youths of the nation. Nevertheless the significance of print media still remains robust and unwavering. Subjects such as current trending topics and politics are fervently searched for through newspapers and other printed publications. Yet when it comes to looking for generalized information and newsworthy data the same population of readers seek to crawl into the web for in-depth research. Like newspaper reading, groping the online arena for latest events and information is witnessed as a habitual activity with many getting hooked to their laptops and computers at specific hours as well as monitoring news in intermittent periods spanned through the day. This creeping in of the online reading trend among the UAE youths is what this report is targeted to cover, encompassing such aspects as the basis of the shift of readership platform, its significance and how it marks the way to a progressive reading culture.
1.2 Shift of News Readership-Traditional to Online
The advent of the Internet has ushered in a whole new trend in news reading. Studies on perfunctory news reading and information seeking activities in the lives of UAE youths have depicted a veritable shift of readership from the traditional to the online modes. Through the use of portable devices such as laptops, notebooks and mobiles zealous information gatherers are able to exercise greater control over their choices of subjects to read and at varied parts of the day. Among the respondents interviewed about their habitual news reading activity 31.1 percent aged between 15 and 19 and 43.9 percent of those below the age of 15 reported to be avid readers. As many as 30 to 40 percent of youths agreed to indulge in information seeking activity during commutes and 50 percent noted an escalating interest in news reading by migrating to the web.
A plethora of studies have been conducted to understand the rising trends among the young generations of UAE to take up to the online genre for news reading and its impact on the digital cosmos. The year 2005 saw an emergence of a screen-based reading approach that was a marked transformation from the professionally reported news as presented through the print media. This attitude was characterized by increased time devoted to researching information and news materials online with usage of right keywords according to the readers’ choice but lesser time spent on thorough reading. The studies showed three main goals that worked up in the readers’ minds which prompted them to take to online news reading rather than the conventional modes. They were driven by their interest in seeking specific information pertaining to particular subjects, for being abreast with the current trends and updated news on any genre as well as for entertainment. Often such information seeking among youths tended to revolve around such subjects as sports and stock news, the latter being more sought after in individuals above 30.
The fact that incidental exposure to a wide spectrum of subjects is possible more online than while going through traditional print media reports has been a triggering fact for greater Internet hooking up as far as news reading is concerned. In majority of cases the respondents have noted to have been intrigued greatly by some news which they happened to come across during their purposeful information seeking activity. This in turn leads to greater enlightenment and unveiling of information spreading across myriad spheres of life.
A look into the ELIS model by Savolainen can explain the reasons behind the shift of readership from the conventional to the online platform among UAE youths quite well. Everyday Life and Information Seeking model abbreviated ELIS model seeks to explain the basis of habitual indulgence in daily life to be essentially a culturally and socially driven cognitive and perceptive disposition whereby individuals prioritize their choices in tune with their experiences and seek to indulge in activities out of willful volition. Elucidating the ELIS model in the context of online habitual news reading activities by the young generations in UAE it can be said that news reading is not a purposeful activity whereby readers take to informative sources for serving some social utility. It is in fact, a leisurely, iterative activity that is resorted to in order to enlighten oneself about myriad facets of social, political and other spheres of life.
All through the varied studies a mélange of definitions for the term “news” has come forth. While many just mumbled in bafflement about the meaning of the word, others sought to refer to it as mere stuff or information as put forth by myriad media outlets. A handful of them addressed to news as the current information about whatever is going around them while many considered news as something that seeks to enhance one’s knowledge about anything from honing work-based skills to nurturing one’s hobbies and interests. Most of them agreed that the whole Internet is brimming with news and therefore comprises a much bigger source of information than traditional modes of print publications.
Variety has also been witnessed in terms of specific hours dedicated to news reading online. While a majority seemed to apply the customary newspaper reading habits to online news browsing habits many youths have revealed that they check the internet the first thing after they go to office and then undergo intermittent updating of information throughout the day whenever there is some minutes to spare. Such vivid information gathering is only possible online since the internet updates itself with the latest happenings every two or three hours in a day. The fact that Internet gives them to first hand information about an incident such as an accident or sport results gives UAE youth enough reasons to shift their focus from traditional newspaper reading to information seeking online.
The proliferation of portable devices like Smartphones, laptops has paved the path for smoother browsing of news on the web. Young people in the UAE have acclaimed the role of such devices in letting them get updated with latest happenings on the go, such as when they are in college or even travelling by car, train or even flight. Bringing the subject of incidental exposure once again quite a few of the young college goers and newbie professionals state that such sudden stumbling into news is a great way to carry out in-depth news reading on particular topics. Coming across such things while browsing the web like a plane crash, a bailout or a political upsurge and latest election news makes them look for deeper information on those particular topics through a number of news sites like the CNN and Emirates247 among others.
The above findings clearly bring to light certain obvious reasons for the dynamic shift of youth readership from traditional sources of news to online news browsing. The fact that online news portals give updated and timely information throughout the day indubitably happens to the most important cause for the shift of focus. Many also argued that Internet gave them broader perspectives and views on a single news topic while others swore on its portable benefits. Proponents of traditional modes of news reading through printed journalistic reports will still vouch for their immense significance in daily life, something which gives them a sense of satisfaction to hold the morning newspaper in their hands. But with internet turning out a coveted means of information-gathering source in the lives of youths across the globe as those in UAE, it comes as no wonder that news reading has been given a much broader perspective through its online connotation.
1.3 Significance:
The impetus proffered by technology to habitual reading of newspapers has witnessed a transformation which is manifested in the shift of preference from the traditional modes of print media to browsing of news online. The Internet is indeed a breakthrough digital development and the impact of its debut is being felt in every sphere of life, notwithstanding reading news, a customary behavior which has been imbued in zealous information seekers since the advent of print media. The shift of readership from the printed professional publications to online news has been more prominently witnessed in the younger generations across the globe, as in UAE where a whopping chunk of youths are replacing conventional news-reading habits with online news and information gathering behavior.
The genesis of online news media in recent years has depicted some amount of ebbing in print newspapers which are facing a formidable challenge from its electronic counterpart. Although the former was initiated to act as a complimentary role to the latter, a growing number of people are turning their gaze and finding online media much more reliable and efficient than conventional newspapers. Such positive behaviors towards online news reading, as reiterated above is vouched for more by the younger groups of individual who feels the presence of the Internet palpably in almost every aspect of their lives. The fact that they can access the web anytime from their portable devices and thus be updated about the proceedings taking place across social, political, economic and entertainment scenarios quite conveniently have made them bank on online information platform heavily.
Internet usage has seen a skyrocketing growth in Asian countries and UAE is no exception. The latest survey conducted by Dubai Press Club’s Fourth Arab Media Outlook showed Gulfnews.com and AlKhaleej.com to be two most popular news websites of UAE which is catapulting the charts of online news readership with the former seizing almost 19 percent share and beating other head honchos like Google News, Times of India and Yahoo Maqoob.
The figures only point to the burgeoning reliability and popularity of online news portals which serve to enlighten and interest young minds by virtue of its being a comprehensive interactive toolbox. Enthusiastic readers seeking information on current affairs or newsworthy materials can actively participate in forums and chat rooms to proffer their opinions on subjects that intrigues and excites them- a features completely missing in conventional print media which only present facts and news inform of articles and stories as put forth by professional journalists. In addition, the use of psychedelic graphics as well as audio and video clips has made online news more attractive and appealing to the dynamic minds of the youths of UAE. The internet also gives the youths to update themselves on the latest happenings several times a day which they feel can add more to their treasure trove of knowledge.
Despite all these benefits, proponents of print media and newspapers would swear by their reliability on account of their potential to give them immense satisfaction the moment they are dropped at the doorstep. That newspapers do not require an internet connection to enlighten oneself about the worldly episodes and they are presented in precise professional language makes them coveted companions for the morning hours for the habitual newspaper readers.
To summarize, the adoption of online news reading habit can be associated with the advantages acquired due to the progress of technology such as multi-tasking, 24/7 updates, gathering in-depth information related to myriad topics, opportunity to opine and communicate with media, browsing through varying viewpoints and similar others. With such robust benefits witnessed in the online news genre the comparison between the traditional and electronic media becomes all the more intriguing.
1.4 Choosing UAE
The reason why UAE has turned out to be an intriguing center of focus with regards to online news reading habits is its catapulting number of youths who are taking to the electronic media as a source of updating themselves on current affairs. That books have had always been things to resort to out of compulsion and rarely by virtue of their value as a source of interesting reading have contributed to the emergence of online readership in the Gulf all the more. Several studies have been conducted time and again on the general reading habits of youths under 15 and above in UAE. One such survey executed by Yahoo! Maqtoob Research conducted on 3667 individuals in the nation depicted a startling result which showed only one in five indulged in regular reading habits. The study also depicted that 65 percent of these candidates who were under the age of 25 hardly read for the sake of pleasure, the figure coming out to be a mere one in every three individuals. Only 22 percent of UAE population claimed to be voracious or regular readers.
51 percent of those covered by the Gulf News poll in UAE put forth their views on the ebbing of book reading habits as a result of the emergence of technology and electronic media. Many of those interviewed throughout the nation have admitted finding it difficult to squeeze out time to indulge in the pleasure of book reading as well as newspapers. The advent of technology has made it easier and convenient for many to get a cursory view on the latest happenings as well as filter their news reading searches in tune with their preference to carry out in-depth information gathering. Yet, a handful of them stressed on the habit of reading the morning newspaper while a majority of them claimed technologies to have upped and expanded the potential of acquiring greater information in lesser time.
With such rising numbers of young people in the United Arab Emirates emerging to be a proponent of online media UAE has become a top choice for studying the influence of electronic news reading in present times.
2.0 Literature Review:
The Literature Review will seek to cover the varied readership theories in general in order to gauge and evaluate the news reading habits, both online and traditional, of Emirati Youths. It will explore myriad theories pertaining to news reading habits and its impact on the digital environment. It will further elucidate them in the light of their Uses and Gratification and Media System Dependency, to come to a conclusion that can be closely associated with the reading pattern of the sample groups. (Ruggiero, 2000)
2.1 Introduction about the Number of People in UAE who Read News Online
Through its study on the number of people using the web to read news online and otherwise Booz & Company revealed that as many as 83% of the total Arab population browse internet daily. In addition, it stated that 61% of their time spend on the internet is spent on social network sites. The study confirms that technology advances is shaping a new digital generation. “Today, young people increasingly conduct their lives online.” The increased reliance on digital media has led to a reduce computation of traditional media (Macnab, 2012). Similarly, another study by Booz & Company survey showed that surfing the Internet is one of the most popular leisure activities in the Arab region. Internet is used for personal entertainment, online movies, blog and social networking. The most popular online entertainment activity is watching short movies. The second online popular activity entertainment is download free media and last on the list comes reading online magazines. (Youth in GCC Countries Meeting the Challenge, 2014)
In a report published by the Dubai School of Government (2013), users in the Arab region spend between 3 to 4 hours daily on the internet. According to their survey, the internet is the primary source of news, as 36% of survey respondents answered. Second comes social media sources with 29%.
The Arab Media Outlook (2008-12), states that Internet and technology are impacting the Arab media landscape and causing a major change. Media organizations in the Arab region are being forced to adjust to the transformations. In 2011, the newspapers industry in the Arab region showed the lowest growth in comparison to the last five years. “The number of newspaper titles has remained relatively flat despite the flurry of activity generated by new launches, shutdowns and continued migration to online.”(ARAB MEDIA OUTLOOK 2008-2012, 2014)
In Arab Media Outlook (2009-13), the report confirms “the industry also faces increasing pressure from the internet where consumers, both globally and in the Arab Region, are spending an increasing amount of time. With news being one of the most popular forms of content among the young demographic in the Arab Region, it is not surprising that consumption is moving online, with 40% of news readers accessing news via the internet in 2009”. The report proves that there are changes in news reading habits in the Arab region especially after the recent political activities in the region.(Arab Media Outlook 2009- 2013, 2014)
Gulf Region
Moving on, in the Gulf Corporation Council, GCC, 70% of the daily internet users spend more than 3 hours on the internet, 29% spend 30 minutes to 3 hours and 1% spend less than 30 minutes. However, 67% of print media readers spend less than 30 minutes reading, 30% spend 30 minutes to 3 hours and only 3% spend more than 3 hours reading. The most popular online entertainment activity is watching short movies. The second online popular activity entertainment is download free media and last on the list comes reading online magazines. Moreover, in the GCC, Most internet users in the Gulf region access internet through device, which is 81%. In addition, 70% access the internet while their at home.(Sabbagh et al., 2012)
United Arab Emirates
According to the Arab Media Outlook (2009-13), Internet users in the UAE spend more than 2 hours a day online, which is greater than that spent watching television. The most preferred online activity is social networking that is used by more than 70% of Internet users. In the UAE as well, online news consumption is another popular everyday activity. It is used more often than printed newspaper even though print is the dominant platform for news. In fact, the Gulf News website is reported as the most popular online source of news due to its audiovisual content offering. (Arab Media Outlook 2009- 2013, 2014)
Moreover, in Emirati youth addicted to NIT, a study conducted in 2011 on Emirati youth between the age of 16 and 24, 25% of the respondents confirmed that they were addicted to using IT tools such as mobile phones, gaming devices, and the internet. The study states “Emirati youth are quite competent in using NIT tools for multiple purposes, including communication (messaging, chatting, flirting, e-mailing, texting, etc.), entertaining, researching for up-to-date information, shopping and the like”. The report compares the Internet to air for human beings, as air is needed to breath to live and survive. “Today’s youth consider their new information technology (NIT) tools as necessary as the air they breathe!” (Hashem and Smith, 2011)
Reading Habits in the UAE (2011) report states that the impact of Internet on the traditional reading habits has been clearly visible as a driving change. The report confirms that Emiratis prefer to use the Internet versus reading books and newspapers. In specific, Emirati youths ranging between the age of 15 and 25 are strongly Internet users. In addition, the report shows that when it comes to learning, Internet is more and more preferable than traditional printed books, except for academic books like schools and universities textbooks. (Wischenbart, 2014)
In another study, in the UAE, 83% of the internet population uses YouTube. In fact, 34% are daily users of YouTube, while other 49% are less frequent users. Research also found majority of the UAE population greatly find the internet and online media a credible source for news reading and information gathering. Questions put forth during the surveys carried across UAE as well as 7 other Arab countries by the North Western University in Qatar to determine the outlook of the young generations towards reliability of Internet over traditional print media also revealed almost similar answers in favor of the former. The research executed through the medium of an interactive medium depicted as many as 82 percent of the total population of UAE claiming the Internet to be a reliable and important source for gathering information on world affairs. 61 percent among them agreed to the significance of the Internet as a useful platform on account of enabling users to put forth their opinions.
2.2 Historical Background on Reader Research on News Reading Habits of in UAE Youths
The dawn of the World Wide Web and breakthrough technological advancements in the sphere of television, electronic media and digital world have brought in a marked transformation in the news reading pattern of the youths throughout the globe. The onset of the online media has posed challenges for traditional print media so much so that the question that now tends to surface time and again is whether the Internet will emerge victorious as the unparalleled source for news information. Several studies conducted on individuals in UAE belonging to the age group between 15 and 25 have shown escalating number of online news readership with a remarkable shift in the news reading habits from conventional newspapers to online news websites. That newspapers still embrace a significant position in the lives of active information seekers cannot be debated as was eloquently elucidated by Alex de Tocqueville, the French Historian when he talked about the way newspapers intrigued people’s minds unofficially but strongly,
“A newspaper is an adviser that need not be sought out, but
comes of its own accord and talks to you briefly every day
about the commonweal without distracting you from your
private affairs” (Tocqueville 1969).
However, the emergence of the Internet has sought to dwindle this very importance of newspapers to a great extent as is evident from the plummeting number of subscribers of paid newspapers. Even if households in UAE continue to stick to their norm of digging into the morning newspapers looking into the statistics of young people’s news reading habits it becomes hard to say whether the print media remains the sole sovereign in the genre of providing world news.
To understand the average news reading habits among the Emirati youths and how they perceive Internet as their information provider the upshots of a number of general studies carried out in this perspective can be taken into account. Liu (2005) revealed the ushering of a completely new reading behavior which tends to be screen-based and where readers spend considerable time in browsing for varied news items through keyword spotting and scanning and indulge in non-linear reading with lesser hours spent on in-depth reading. The study by Flavian and Gurrea (2006) put forth three fundamental objectives which drive online news reading. According to these objectives readers take resort to the Internet to search for any specific information, to update themselves on the latest news across myriad genres and for pure leisure and entertainment purposes. That readers accessed the Internet to gather in-depth knowledge and latest updates on such issues as sports and stocks was also concluded by this study.
An Nyugen of the University of Stirling (2008_ sought to explain the reasons for the widespread adoption of electronic media as a credible source for information by the young generations on the basis of 9 factors. These 9 socio-technical benefits that can be acquired by adopting online platform were arrived at by Nyugen’s theoretical model which was founded on the innovation-diffusion and expectancy-value theories. The study also aimed to answer two big questions pertaining to the probability of online news in replacing traditional print media as a legit source of information and the link between the above benefits and the rising acceptance of electronic media.
When elucidating on the reading habits of UAE youths and the reasons behind the Internet turning out to be a hankered-after source of information in their lives the theory of “incidental exposure” as propounded by Tewksbury, Weaver and Maddex(2001) can also be brought to the fore. The theory seeks to explain the role of the World Wide Web as the treasure trove of information which ups the chances for readers to come across myriad other news, related or unrelated while browsing. With the Internet proffering a vast spectrum of knowledge in almost every aspect of life that one can think of, stumbling upon some news while the user is browsing something else or even indulging in social media connections is not uncommon. This is turn leads to further delving into subjects of interest which catch attention of the readers by virtue of their coming across suddenly leading to more time spent reading news online. While explaining the incidences of incidental exposure, the researchers came out with two kinds of internet using behaviors, namely Browsers or those “characterized by use of news media to obtain information on a range of topics” (p.257) and Selectors or users who depicted a news reading approach with “focus on specific content defined by individual interests and needs”.
News reading habits have recurrently turned out to be a coveted subject of study. As regards such interpretation pertaining to the young adults researchers such as Graber (2003), Raeymaekers (2004) and Costera Meijer have time and again carried out studies which show news consumption by youths. Such research studies on news reading habits of youths and how they perceive the concept of “news” can form the basis of the larger discussion on their online counterparts. Costera Meijer, for instance, based her research on the attitude of the young minds towards news, whereby she emphasized on the fact that youths across the world as in UAE tend to portray a deportment which does not necessarily correlate the significance of a news program or newsworthy subject to compulsory reading. According to Meijer, “Young people perceive news as very important, but this belief does not lead to watching news programs themselves. In the opinion of young people, news is a basic social service which has
to be available when you need it.” This means despite of the importance bestowed by young minds on serious news they might not be triggered enough to read it. On the other hand at times, things which they otherwise scorn and scoff as “junk” might be the very materials that they would seek to read and enjoy. However, the other side of the dual-paradox theory by Costera Meijer points to the fact that youths do not consider meager entertainment stories as newsworthy program and looks up to only those programs or materials which are enlightening and educational.
The study on the Emirati youths’ habitual news reading online can be better explained by Graber and Zaller’s research which sought to bring forth the tendency or preference of youths to constantly monitor and update themselves on current affairs. According to the researchers young minds are continuously in the lookout for upgrading themselves with latest happenings by means of quick glimpsing into the news headlines. Indubitably the Internet and online media poses the perfect platform to carry out such cursory news reading and updating practice whereby news is constantly being refreshed and refurbished and comprises shorter articles with vivid graphics which make it ideal for quick scanning. As Costera Meijer refers to this attitude of young adults in news grabbing as “smacking news” that triggers in them a sort of tendency to satiate their thirst for updating on the latest affairs instantly throughout the day rather than at fixed hours once a day.
Coming back to the point of customary newspaper reading whereby the very activity of reading newspapers out of willful volition is seen as a result of habit (Bentley, 2000) it can be said that the interest in newspapers and the habit of reading is largely contingent on the regular access of the same through the younger years. However, with the UAE population hardly taking to regular reading, the fact that the youths in the nation are more inclined towards carrying out an online reading rather than through printed media cannot be doubted. The culture of reading has been starkly low in the United Arab Emirates with an average citizen reading a meager 4 pages a year compared to its US counterpart of 11 books a year or the average British citizen who indulge in reading 8 books annually. Raeymaeckers theory of young people showcasing a negative attitude when it comes to reading can be mentioned here which depicts the difficulty they face in reading content in newspapers and therefore find them extremely mundane an activity to indulge in.
To sum up the above discussion it can be said that a lot depends on personal attitude towards reading along with influencing environmental factors such as regular access to newspapers during childhood years and a consequent knack developed towards reading of the same. Since youths tend to get more intrigued by shorter articles which can be gauged by quick scanning they are likely to find going through in-depth reading through printed publications boring. Sources which gave them the opportunity to access the latest event updates from time to time in a given day and are proffered through not only a few but by a large number of opinions, both professional and general, are likely to interest them more. Looking at these facts it comes as no wonder that reading habits of the Emirati youths show a contrasting attitude to the older population (above 40) in that they are much less likely to read through in-depth details in newspapers than them and would anytime prefer accessing the Internet which is, for most of the time, conveniently available to browse through current news.
2.3 Readership Levels and Details
Internet has bestowed active information seekers the opportunity to catch news at all points of the day. Studies on reading behaviors of Emirati youths reveal as much as 81.7 percent of young population aged 15 to 39 indulge in online reading. However, readership levels can be best defined in terms of topics of interest that attract youths of varying age groups and the frequency with which they update themselves on newsworthy materials whether through traditional or online media. For instance, topics like politics, current affairs and daily news are subjects which are most sought-after by readers of older ages. Also the prevalence of newspapers is most witnessed among a grown-up readership above the age of 20. Again the same groups are active online when seeking information on current affairs and updating themselves on general topics.
As far as the frequency of reading news among UAE youths are concerned the varying levels can be divided under the following subheads.
- Readers who regularly read newspapers or at least 5 days of the week
- Readers who read newspapers once or twice a week
- Readers who read newspapers cursorily but indulged in active online news reading
- Readers who only preferred online news reading
- Non-readers
These varying levels of readership form the subject of the study to enumerate the news reading habits of UAE youths. The study can also bring to light the influence of the electronic media over the news reading behaviors of respondents. The Everyday Life Information Seeking model (ELIS model) of Savolainen (1995) can be taken as the basis for studying the reading behaviors pertaining to newspaper and online information seeking by the young adults. Certain variables are subject of concern here to understand the reasons behind the diminishing value of print media among certain readership levels. These variables can be gauged and elucidated through a number of questions such as,
- What are the variables that go to determine the news reading habits of youths in UAE?
- How do these variables affect the various groups differently?
- What did they feel about online news
- How do they browse news online?
2.4. Readership Theories
To understand the readership requirements and what specifically do the UAE youths look for at the online media platform in terms of news information a number of theories need to be glimpsed through and explained. These include Uses and Gratification, Comparison and Convergence, Uses and Dependencies and Media System Dependency theories of news readership.
2.4.1. Uses and Gratification
The Uses and Gratification theory of newspaper readership has been proposed by researchers like Williams, Rogers and Rice (1988) to proffer a theoretical foundation to the adoption of new media or electronic media in the face of traditional newspaper reading. Palmgreen (1984) also sought to explain the role of new media in the form of video cassettes, radio, teletext, home computers with internet and the likes through the Uses and Gratification theory. Since, a number of assumptions pertaining to the readership of online news have been made in the light of the UAE youths’ uses and their consequent gratification from the same it appears that this theory can provide a substantial groundwork for elucidating on the readership habits of the Emirati young adults.
Moreover, the theory seeks to bring in both the conventional as well as online newspapers into its purview of mass communication medium. Lapham (1995) sought to incorporate online media as an integral mass media, while Levinson (1990) explained online media as “mass” thereby emphasizing on its immense potential to enhance number of audiences. Morris and Organ (1996) also seeks to categorize all kinds of Internet-based information and communication data as having a mass media structure.
While being a theory to understand the readership of online and traditional mass media cosmos, the Uses and Gratifications theory can also be perceived from the perspective of the receiver, thus being labeled as a receiver-based communication principle. According to Evans (1990) the Uses and Gratifications Theory as a constitution where “audience… gratification [is] primary,” and “media consumers [are]seen as rational agents whose various uses of media offerings depend upon how these offerings serve various social-psychological functions” (p. 151). Katz in his critical discussion on Uses and Gratifications theory of news readership stated that the question that should be considered of prime importance here is “_What do people do with the media?_” rather than “What do the media do with the people?” Levy and Windhall take the Uses and Gratifications theory as a “receiver-oriented content” with the assumption of an “active audience.”What can be deduced from the above considerations of the noted commentators all the opinions with regard to mass media, online or traditional as per the Uses and Gratification theory takes up the assumption of an active, information seeking and rational group of audience. Blumler, Katz and Gurevitch provide a seven-point featured explanation of the Uses and Gratification theory which is enumerated as, “concerned with (1) the social and psychological origins of (2) needs, which generate (3)expectations of (4) the mass media or other sources, which lead to (5) differential patterns of media exposure (or engagement in other activities), resulting in (6) need gratifications and (7) other consequences, perhaps mostly unintended ones” (p. 20).In the perspective of this assumption another hypothesis can be arrived as an active set of audience who has the potential to pick and choose from myriad media sources and non- media “functional alternatives” which in turn again leads them to obtain gratification or the fulfillment of same needs. Finally, the Uses and Gratification theory also emphasizes in the “”value judgments about the cultural significance of mass communication should [or atleast can] be suspended while audience orientations are explored on their own terms” (Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch,1974, p. 22). This implies the theory lets go of the value judgments pertaining to the cultural influence on media browsing and usage in order to understand the readership activity as per its own accord.As with any theory in any sphere the Uses and Gratifications theory has been the butt of some criticisms. It has been censured for its narrow vision delving absolutely on the mediated communication of readers rather than taking into account such issues as the cultural significance and its long term impact on the readers. Palmgreen (1984) sought to define the Uses and Gratification theory in terms of its 6 threads all of which are present in the research work of the Pilot Study on the same theory. According to Palmgreen the 6 threads for an empirical research are, “”(1)gratifications and media consumption; (2) social andpsychological orientations of gratifications; (3)gratifications and media effects; (4) gratifications soughtand obtained; (5) expectancy-value approaches to uses and gratifications; and (6) audience activity” (p. 21). The Pilot Study which seeks to incorporate all these 6 tenets of the Uses and Gratifications Theory has been carried out in order to explain and gauge the overall activity and role of online news reading in the context of the theoretical structure of media usage and gratifications. The investigation is executed through triangulating survey, interviewing the respondents and gathering behavioral data and seeks to understand the kind of fulfillments or gratifications drive readers to online news and what are they used for.
2.4.2 Comparison and Convergence
2.4.3 Uses and Dependencies
2.4.4 Media System DependenciesThat majority of youth respondents have confessed to find the Internet a valuable source of information whereby they indulge in internet browsing weekly or even more than once a week to acquire in-depth knowledge on subjects like business, health and science has been a subject of study for long. They held the web in a higher pedestal as to being a treasure trove of information than printed publications like newspapers, magazines and journals. The Media Systems Dependency Theory abbreviated as MSDT has sought to proffer an elucidation of audience and readership behavior by making the relationship between individuals, media and institution as the basis for the same. Ball Rokeach (1998) took up the topic which was creating mayhem at that time as his subject of study- the creeping in of digital media in people’s lives. Through her theory Rokeach tried to understand the impact of the World Wide Web on media dependency and the consequent results of the widespread growth of the digital cosmos. In Ball’s words, ““The Internet thus intrudes on traditional relations by being integrated into an expanded media system that may expand the reach of understanding, orientation, and play goals that individuals, groups, and organizations may attain through media dependency relations.”2It was as if a direct consequence of what Rokeach wrote that the Internet percolated the lives of active information seekers across the world as it did in UAE, turning into an integral part of the mainstream media and a coveted source for both information as well as entertainment. The origin of the Media Systems Dependency theory can be traced back to 1976 when Ball- Rokeach along with DeFluer sought to explain the way media can influence individuals cognitively, behaviorally and affectively in different manners. Later this very theory attempted to explain the relation existing between media and individuals and social institutions and media at the micro and macro levels respectively.A few assumptions are taken into account while explaining the Media Systems Dependency theory at the micro level between media and individuals. First, the theory postulates that the individuals it studies are active as well as goal-oriented when they are picking out the media content and are using them. The theory also hypothesizes three dependencies which assume different individuals are contingent on the usage of media in different ways. First- in terms of social play and solitary play; Second- for social understanding and self understanding; and Third- interaction orientation an action orientation. The last segment of dependencies is especially crucial in assuming that individuals would act according to what they deem necessary to obtain their objective. Ball Rokeich also states that understanding dependencies and orientation dependencies are closely linked in that both of these require obtaining information for fulfillment of particular goals which frequently embrace complex issues that in turn need in-depth detailing for its complicated and specific nature. MSDT forms a robust framework for various research on the role of the Internet. However, there was a dearth of published research materials that explained the link between traditional media and Internet keeping the Media Systems Dependency as the theoretical basis. The 1993 saw Lacy et. al make use of the concepts of two theories -Uses and Gratification and the Media Systems Dependency to arrive at a hypothesized typology of media-mix that manifests itself through a myriad set of uses in media types for fulfillment of their specific goals. Each individual is assumed to be using different sets of media mix for gratification of goals and does not rely on a single source of medium to acquire all information needed. However, the media mix is stable although there might be a few variations at some points in the short-run. Looking at the theoretical assumptions of the Media-mix model and the Media Systems Dependency theories it can be said that the Internet has the potential to attract readership or audience through its development of new sources of information which may trigger newer dependencies. However, neither of the models depict any probability of complete displacement or replacement of the conventional media with the Internet for every individual but can be so for some audience. It may be said rather that the two models emphasizes that some individuals may seek to devote the time they spend on traditional print publication media on digital or Internet media and the displacement as witnessed will vary in tune with the dependency that individuals have on the web to obtain the required information. Accordingly three tenets of the MSDT and the Media-Mix model can be derived as subject for discussion, namely, that of Uses of Internet, Displacement of Traditional Media by Internet and In-Depth Specialized Information and the Internet.
Uses of the Internet
Not much has been researched on the extent of dependency of individuals on the web. However, some researchers have made use of the Uses and Gratification theory of readership to understand individuals’ attitude towards the Web. Papacharissi et. all (2000) underwent research on what inspired individuals to carry out “computer-mediated communication” in comparison to interpersonal transmission of knowledge and ideas. He came up with five dimensions that were revealed through a factor analysis and which embraced, interpersonal utility, gathering information, activity for passing leisure time, entertainment and convenience. Although such research work was centered around the Internet or new media platform, yet it was found that many of the areas or topics that readers chose to browse online were the same as they did through traditional print media. These include the broad spectrum of content such as sports, politics, health, science and business and thereby pointed out that some people are likely to replace their traditional means of information sources through seeking news online. The reason why the Media Systems Dependency theory is often more approachable and apt for researchers is because the latter comes as atheoretical in some ways since the uses and gratifications that have been given the focus by the theory differ through studies. The MSDT on the other hand is much more theoretical in nature as it explains the interaction of individuals with media and encompasses a wide spectrum of behavior at a micro level. The tenets of Uses and Gratification theory are mostly covered within the purview of the three major dependencies of the MSDT theory making the latter a more robust explanation of the relationship between individuals and online information browsing.
Internet Displacing Possibilities of the Traditional Media
Roughly based on the MSDT theory some studies were carried out on the possibility of the displacement of the conventional modes of media such as newspapers, television news and radio by the more avant-garde online platform of accessing information. The survey executed by De Waat et. al (2005) on about a thousand Dutch adults revealed that the use of the web differs in tune with certain demographical variables such as age, education, gender and income. In their words, “Once we compare the usefulness of online newspapers for specific areas of information with print newspapers and the other information channels, online papers cannot compete with printed newspapers or television. Both are considered more suitable for all kinds of information.” Dans (2000) through his study found that the online and traditional news differed in the way they were read, “The use of the newspaper is different too: reading of Internet newspapers is usually more functional and goal oriented, as indicated by the small number of pages read per visit,” he wrote. Kaye et al. (2003) surveyed interested information seekers on politics and compared the results with one that was taken in 1996 and concluded that the time spent on searching for political news had hardly changed. However, there were many who were completely relegating newspapers to the background for actively seeking political news on the Internet which proved that at least for them the online platform was substituting the traditional media instead of merely complimenting them. However, since these studies considerable time has passed and what can be concluded is that for many internet has turned out to be a substitute while quite a few still hold the online news platform to be a complimentary means of seeking information along with traditional media like the newspapers.
Finding In-depth Specialized Data The advent of the Internet has indeed been a breakthrough development in the genre of technology but what makes it completely unique and different from traditional media are its four distinct features. These are its potential for instantaneous delivery of information which makes it accessible to people much faster, its interactive nature that ensures immediate feedback from its visitors multi-media content distribution and availability of low-cost detailed information. The above studies within the MSDT framework of readership theories have sought to bring in the features of instantaneous delivery and multimedia content to discuss on the role of the Internet as a complimentary or a supplementary means of media to the traditional newspapers. However, where the question of in-depth reading or information seeking is concerned the topic has been dealt with rather tangentially without any vigorous efforts to explain people’s tendency to look for detailed information with regard to areas which actually need in-depth data such as economics, business, health and science. Limited research have been carried out time and again on these fields pertaining to actively seeking of in-depth information online in the above areas. Studies have depicted that health topics are the fourth most sought-after detailed information online being only behind news, weather and travel topics. In fact, many of the respondents also claimed that studying online health information actually helped bring major and valuable changes to their life. 2.4.3 Comparison of Uses and Gratifications and Media Systems Dependency TheoriesSandra Ball-Rokeach brought forth some major differences between the two major theories explaining the readership of traditional and online modes of information seeking. These differences can be categorized under the following heads:
Audience Members: Although both the theories assume the audiences to be active, the theorists of the Uses and Gratifications theory look into their sociodemographic and psychological difference as per the use of media which means that any change or variable witnessed in text would mean the individuals are in control of text. On the other hand, the MSDT theory emphasize on interpersonal, psychological and sociological basis of differences with regard to media systems dependencies both at the micro and macro levels that seek to restrain media text production as well as individual’s dependency towards media systems. This makes the audience free from any charge of the text production and thus it is the macro relations ecology that forms the only basis of understanding any impact of audience media dependency.
Communication and Interpersonal Network: Proponents of the Uses and Gratifications theory stress on the immense potential of interpersonal communication in misinterpreting of media messages and other media networks. They take interpersonal networking to have the ability to manipulate media messages and not be controlled by them by being highly “networked” individuals. Interpersonal networks have a significant place in the MSD theory as well. However, they connect the individual with the public which in turn influence an individual reader’s perception of the media system.
Media System and Its Power: Uses and Gratification commentators look at media texts to be founded on traditional lines and capable of undergoing modifications and reconstructions of its tentative texts. The Uses and Gratification theory if seen from a macro-functional level will seek to explain the media system under the Media Systems Dependencies theory of readership. It looks at the media’s interrelation and interdependence with other systems in the social and cultural scenarios. The function of the media therefore is to integrate vertically and horizontally into the society. Hence, while the Uses and Gratifications theory empowers media to proffer ways for gratifying individuals needs, the MSD endows the media the power to produce social realities and negotiate societal changes and conflicts.
2.5 Habits of News Reading in UAE Youth, Trends, Reasons
Whether it is about seeking daily news, detailed information gathering on specific subjects or leisure browsing of world affairs the use of the Internet by UAE youth have been more instrumental in nature than ritualistic. Apart from the fact that today’s young generations actively use the Internet to chat, network on social media platforms and shop online, the online news media is actively rather than passively being used for indulging in daily information-seeking activities. In fact, chatting, shopping, information seeking and news reading are activities which are percolating the UAE youth population in admirable numbers. The two theories discussed above, namely the Uses and Gratification theory and the Media Systems Dependency theory can be brought to the fore to understand the behavior of Emirati youths towards online consumption. However, in this study of UAE youths it seems the latter MSD theory which explains the dependency of readers or online consumers on the media usage rather than controlling the content of the Internet as per their goals or gratifications may seem to be more apt here even when the purpose is to achieve specific goals. This is because such an assumption will finally lead to a sort of reader-Internet-dependency-relationship which can explain the reading patterns of the youths better. When it comes to understanding the patterns of news reading online among Emirati youths it is worthwhile to point that almost all major newspaper dailies in the UAE are available online. Reiterating what had been mentioned above the Arab Media Outlook survey proclaimed Gulf News as the most read newspaper in the UAE, its online version also grabbing a whopping 19 percent share superseding those of Yahoo Maqtoob and Times of India. In fact, broadcast news networks too have made their presence felt online through individual news portals. In addition, there is a plethora of official as well as unofficial news websites which provide online services for information, news and limitless spectrum of virtual communication resources.
Like the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism which sought to understand dependency of individuals over the internet for news reading globally, the Arab Media Outlook specifically targeted the UAE youths to elucidate on their approach towards online news portals and how much time they devoted a day to online browsing. A sea change has been witnessed in the media industry with the proliferation of the Internet in the United Arab Emirates with the newspapers sector depicting its lowest ever growth in five years in the year 2011. . “The number of newspaper titles has remained relatively flat despite the flurry of activity generated by new launches, shutdowns and continued migration to online.”(ARAB MEDIA OUTLOOK 2008-2012, 2014)
In Arab Media Outlook (2009-13), the report confirms “the industry also faces increasing pressure from the internet where consumers, both globally and in the Arab Region, are spending an increasing amount of time. With news being one of the most popular forms of content among the young demographic in the Arab Region, it is not surprising that consumption is moving online, with 40% of news readers accessing news via the internet in 2009”.
Even though print media continues to be the prominent source of information for UAE population yet more and more individuals are turning to the Internet for active information gathering. The dawn of IT tools in the mainstream media industry this shift towards online news portal has become all the more evident. According to one study Emirati youths find these New Information Technology tools such as Smartphones, Tablets, laptops and the likes as essential as air is for the purpose of breathing. “Today’s youth consider their new information technology (NIT) tools as necessary as the air they breathe!” (Hashem and Smith, 2011).
Since the prominence of books has been lower in UAE than in most of the other developed countries of the world, majority of UAE youths do not find reading books as well as newspapers a pleasure-driven activity. If not compelled they would rather avoid reading them altogether. This explains the low percentage of UAE youths who turn to newspapers for gathering information. However, it is this very section of Emirati youths who do not mind browsing the internet for hours to enlighten themselves about the happenings around the world. In fact, studies depict that when it comes to learning the UAE youths prefer taking resort to online resources rather than printed newspapers or books apart from college text books or school books which they are compelled to study. The reasons for this preference towards online news portals can be explained through the obvious advantages that internet bestows on its audience as discussed above. These include the availability of in-depth information, 24/7 accessibility and convenience. Although it may not yet be claimed that Internet can percolate into the mainstream media industry it can be said that these very features of the Internet have been conducive towards attracting the chunks of Emirati youths who find the online genre more attractive and useful for spending greater amounts of time in seeking information they are looking for. Apart from the fact that there has been an increase in the usage of the Internet for reading news in UAE, a positive attitude has also been witnessed as far as the concept of news reading is concerned. Majority of youths have claimed that they found the web extremely useful in terms of proffering in-depth information in topics of their interest while being accurate and always up-to date and accessible at all times of the day. While studying the behaviors towards Electronic media or newspapers Weir (1999) that consumption of news online was completely purposeful and is used to acquire information that readers need. Many of the respondents covered through the study on the readership habits of UAE youths stated that they preferred online to traditional media simply because of the fact that it did away with the time constraints on information gathering which the latter restricts audiences with. The fact that newspapers proffer news once a day and readers have only to wait for the next day in order to get updated information on any current news or significant happening around has been put forth by youngsters as a drawback of traditional media. The convenience of online portal comes from its feature of accessibility which enables enthusiastic information seekers to access information at intermittent intervals in a day. The internet also allows the Emirati youths as those across the globe to undergo selective study of information which interests them and get detailed information on those same topics through myriad sources. The fact that online news forums and portals enable respondents to provide their feedback on such matters as politics or news where opinion can be given makes it a coveted place to spend one’s leisure time on. Quite a handful of youths also reasoned their preference towards online media in terms of their concept of news which according to many was much broader than what is presented through the medium of traditional newspaper. While some referred to the whole of the Internet as a treasure trove of news, some others sought to target those stuff which enhances one’s knowledge and enlightens one about what is going on around the world. Such subjects like politics or elections and sports which are updated through intervals and which contain in-depth information on the web are considered worthwhile topics to be searched on web. Findings on the news reading and information seeking habits of Emirati youths also revealed some startlingly positive results from the perspective of online news searching. Quite a whopping number of youths stated that electronic media formed their sole source of information gathering to satiate their thirst for gaining knowledge and enlightening themselves on current affairs. This was more prevalent in the age group ranging 18 to 30 years who had more access to the Internet rather than newspapers at home. The immaculate growth in the importance of online media can be evidenced from the development statistics of the same which witnessed a year-to-year steady growth unlike other traditional mediums like the newspapers, television or radio. In general too, printed media has seen an ebbing in the recent years with a considerable drop felt post the dawn of the Internet. Of the various reasons attributed to the prevalence of the Internet as a reliable source of information immediacy seems to be one of the major advantages which made online news a favorite haunt for active information seekers. About 70 percent of Emirati youths claimed they would prefer browsing the internet if they came across something interesting through some other media and they indulged in web searching a few times a day unlike the routine morning newspaper reading habit of many older adults who do so by virtue of habit in most cases. This points to the 24 hours accessibility feature of the internet which attracts young minds who are dynamic and prefer anything that helps them get information on the go. And this is what news practitioners and professional journalistic presentations in printed forms should aim to target at in order to draw the attention of these young readers. Quality content available on the internet through in-depth information on a wide variety of topics also seems to be a reason for the widespread popularity of the online news portal among the Emirati youths. Many of them have sought to explain their reasons for returning to the web for acquiring detailed information through a number of links which also give them a broader perspective on any news content with the added privilege of enabling them to interact directly with the media. While newspapers present only a few perspectives of professional journalists, the online platform possesses greater capacity of proffering a single news material from myriad sources, both professional and otherwise. Interactive ability of the web is another coveted reason although not so prominent as the others quoted above. The proliferation of forums, chat rooms and social media network sites have led zealous information seekers who wish to actively take part in such things as politics, sports and health to directly provide their feedback and gratify their own satisfaction of being a part of the subjects which intrigue and interest them. This point can be traced to Nyugen’s study of the adoption of Internet as an active news source whereby the readers look up to the web as a reliable way to browse through varied viewpoints. The fact that checking online news could be done simultaneously along with other online work such as emailing, chatting, social media networking and the likes made the web another interesting way to grab information about current events. Email news and the sudden exposure to incidental news through other non-news portal while browsing the web for other purposes was a significant way to crawl into news websites. The cost of paying for newspapers seemed yet another popular reason for bagging youth attention in UAE. Combined with this is the fact that the prominence of book reading in UAE has been found to be very low compared to their UK or US counterparts. Finally, the attribute of customization has been seen to allure youths to the Internet since this feature enables them to search for news materials or information just as they want them to be through input of the keywords. Displacement has not been so obvious among Emirati youths’ behavior towards online news reading yet and majority of them still use the internet as a complimentary source of information seeking in addition to printed media, the prevalence of newspapers being more prominent among older adults than younger ones.
2.6 Related Survey Findings on Reading Habits of UAE Youths
Related survey on reading habits of the Emirati Youths based on the above two theories was taken up by the International Sharjah Book Fair (2011) in its “Reading Habits of United Arab Emirates” study which brought to light significant aspects of the online reading attitudes of the Emirati youths. A cauldron of questions were put forth in front of the 503 interviewees which threw light on their reading background and personal preferences as far as reading was concerned. Reading sources surveyed through this study included newspapers, printed publications, magazines, books as well as online news portals and information gathering activities. The report presented by the organization post the survey revealed the UAE youths as enthusiastic patrons of reading searching for reading materials across a wide spectrum of resources, both printed and online in majorly two languages, namely that of English and Arabic. Simultaneously the findings threw light on their unique approach to reading as an activity to indulge not for the purpose of leisure and pleasure but for enlightening and educating oneself on myriad aspects and areas. That Internet had a considerable effect on the reading habits of the Emirati youths was also the focus of the study as it was seen that the competitive aspect between the online publication and the printed ones was truly robust with the latter importance dwindling to some extent. A majority of the UAE adults aged between 15 and 29 preferred the online platform as a reliable source of information and were found to be extremely media savvy and committed users of the Internet in comparison with a handful who still preferred staving off the internet and sticking to the printed versions of newspapers providing considerable appreciation to their content offerings. In order to bring about a more appreciative approach to reading other than the sole purpose of reading for education or knowledge youths of the United Arab Emirates require to be imbued with a knack for reading to bring about a culturally developed and modern economy. The targeted set of interviewees interviewed by the survey were picked out from among zealous readers indulging in willful reading activities through printed as well as other media sources. Internet usage was found to be a coveted medium of information for both male and female respondents, which however showed some discrepancy with regard to reading of books and newspapers with the males inclined more towards magazines and newspapers and females preferring reading of books on varied topics. The questions put forth for reading across newspapers and online media were based on the kinds of topics read, the age, the preferred subjects, the purpose of reading online or otherwise and the most read topics. The male and female youths of UAE showed some difference as was obvious as to their topics of preference whereby male respondents were more interested in areas encompassing politics, current affairs, sports, economics and news while females were more inclined to search topics on health, beauty and fashion. Literary magazines and articles were more coveted among females than males while neither gender depicted any particular interest in reading educational books for pleasure. As far as the varied groups and their reading habits were concerned topics like news, current events and politics formed the core interest areas as individuals aged with 64 percent of those ranging between 35 to 39 years of age reporting to find these areas preferred topics for reading, while only 19 percent of those below 15 to be reading on such subjects. With regard to forms or sources of reading corresponding to age printed professional journalistic news forms are more favorable for a grown up group of readership above 20 while those under this age prefer taking to online forms of news reading. However, this very group of youths above 20 actively participates in online information seeking on subjects where they require more in-depth information that cannot be found in printed newspapers only.
2.7 Conclusion
What can be found from the above Literature Reviews and theories concerning readership, such as Uses and Gratification and Media Systems Dependency Theory and relating them to the reading habits of the Emirati youths is that majority of the youth population are turning media savvy with the proliferation of the New Information Technology tools such as tablets, laptops and smartphones which enables them to read news and seek information on the go. Use of the Internet is mostly done for the purpose of enlightening on myriad facets of life for the gratification of their needs rather than as a leisure activity. The dependence on online media has been on the rise more so because book reading habits among Emirati youths have not been so prominent as only a handful have claimed to be regular readers with majority turning to books mainly for the sake of educational purposes rather than for pleasure. Book reading has also been seen to be integrated within an educated batch of educated, media savvy or competent group of young readers in contrast to a relatively smaller set of individuals who are not yet so inclined towards media and online platforms. With the advent of the Internet reading as do cultural habits have undergone a breakthrough change with both blending into online media more than ever before. Dependency on media systems like the Internet have witnessed a whopping rise among Emirati youths because of the beneficial attributes of the Internet which bestows them with the privileges of checking news immediately at varied points of the day, look for in-depth information on topics of their interest, helped them take active part in news forum and convey their messages and feedback across news channels, websites and printed newspaper organizations and because of its accessibility 24/7.
News is important and knowing the latest news is even more important. Through news, people develop a better understanding of life along with many of its central components. In addition, when news and technology are combined, power is produced. This power has the ability to lead the society and the country towards development. Therefore, news organizations need to reach and target youths in order to achieve power in future nations. Without knowing the current news and what is happening in the world, future leaders and decision makers will be clueless.
The aim of this project is to identify the news reading habits in Emirate youth. This paper will provide a clear picture of how Emirati youth between the ages of 18 and 25 get, follow and read the news. Throughout this paper, Emirati youths current news reading habits will be explored and analyzed in order to identify trends in their reading habits.
Along with the primary objective, the research paper will also explore the preferred news reading habits of the Emirati youth. The paper aims to examine the lives of Emirati youth in relation to the news media to gain a proper understanding and knowledge. It will help and aid news media organizations reaching the Emirate youth effectively. As mentioned in the introduction of this paper, news reading improves and increases the knowledge among the younger generation – the Emirate youth – who will be the future adults, parents, teachers, employees, etc., but primarily decision makers. Therefore, news media need to deliver news to the young and future consumers or readers through the fastest and preferable medium and way, whether through PCs, mobile phones or e-readers.
- Methodology- Introduction
Research evidence is essential for identifying effective educational practice” (Reyna, 2004, p. 47). In order to gather scientific evidence it is imperative to carry out scientific research which is dealt with clear, concise and answerable set of questions put forth groups of sample interviewers or respondents. Prior to embarking on any kind of study researchers go back to review past research findings related to the subject to come forth with questions that best suit the scenario in question. The next step encompasses establishing an array of assumptions or hypotheses which will go on to envision the researcher’s findings based on the theoretical model they are using and which will act as a guidance for the particular methodology used. The method chosen will be the most apt one in the given context and this will seek to authenticate and test the set of hypotheses. Here, the section will discuss on the two major methodologies used for research purposes in myriad sectors of study and the most suitable one picked out of them to determine the research area in question, namely the online reading habits of the UAE youths.
3.2. Types of Research Methodologies
Research methodologies mainly embrace two major types of methods, namely Quantitative and Qualitative. Both the research methodologies can be valuable in terms of their outcome if the alignment of the set of questions with the apt kind of method is done correctly in the right context (Shavelson & Towne, 2002; Wiersma, 2000). To understand which method will be the right one to select for the topic of present study it is essential to first know the difference between the two.
Qualitative Research is based on an integrated context-specific inquiry system that takes into account the distinctive qualities of the individuals and the particular settings (Ravid 1994). Researchers taking up the Qualitative method of study mainly depend on the description and observation of the events surveyed.
Quantitative research on the other hand, is not specific to any context or setting and seek to quantify or measure observations carried on larger samples of individuals across widespread geographical boundaries and events. Individual variables, deductive inquiries and comparative analysis form the basis of such studies thereby enabling researchers to generalize the findings or outcome with similar other situational surveys. The questions dealt with in Quantitative method is “What causes what” or the direct relationship between cause and effect. For instance, in order to understand the impact of certain instructional approaches on reading habits or achievements researchers may make use of particular kind of quantitative methods designed for this type of survey such as experimental and quasi-experimental methodologies. Both these methods seek to bring about causal relationships by directing the variable that has been considered as one that can bring about a change in the hypothesis and thereby checking out whether there had been any notable changes when the other variables in the hypothesis were kept as constant.
The kind of research questions determined by researchers may also give a clarity on which would be the apt method to apply in the said survey. As reiterated above Quantitative method answers the “What causes what” question. The Qualitative method in contrast, seeks to explain with greater precision the how and why of the quantitative method thus proffering an answer to what exactly works in the specific context. However, many researchers have found qualitative methods inappropriate when determining survey on reading habits or achievements since this method fails to give out generalized results. Yet both these methods are nevertheless extremely important in terms of varying research purposes and the positives of neither can be undermined.
Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of Study in Relation with Understanding Reading Habits of the Emirati Youth
In the context of understanding the behavior of the UAE youth towards news reading online or otherwise Quantitative and Qualitative methods of research study identifies as many as 44 unique dimensions in relation to news reading experience. Media research have mostly emphasized on the Quantitative methods of usage whereby readership is often quantified in terms of its most recent reading. Usage in the sphere of media is taken as a simple construct in quantitative method thus doing away with any kind of subjectivity as to how one feels and thinks and instead focusing on the frequency of the reading behavior. However, what many researchers argue that media can never be only read or enlightened with, it has got to do with some kind of experience, thereby bringing in subjectivity, a factor which is not measured through quantitative methods. While usage seeks to determine the amount of time devoted on a particular news reading material, the experience needs to be measured as well to understand the impact of the news on individuals which may in turn conceptualize the news brand and thereby lead to its usage. The significance of such qualitative measurements in news reading has been considerably given voice to by Calder and Matlhouse (2002) with their “qualitative-variable” version that used “latent-class analysis”. Brown (1999) put forth the “read yesterday” question in relation to newspaper reading which had also seen expression in studies which quantified the frequency of readership and the number of days or times in a week when people indulged in news reading (eg. Burgoon and Burgoon 1980) However, according to Calder and Malthouse (2003a) relying on solely quantitative measures for news reading such as those presented above sought to make quantitative measure inferior to those multi-question measures which take usage as an underlying variable which can be obtained from the available data. The “Qualitative-variable” version as presented by Malterhouse and Calder brought to light 9 Reader Behavior Types which sought to categorize readers in terms of their reading habits. Three among these can be classified under Heavy Readers who are avid readers of news and indulge in the activity in weekdays as well as weekends; Selective Heavy Readers who devote quite an appreciable amount of time reading newspapers but do not end up reading the whole of it; Sunday-only readers who only read news on Sundays.
To understand what values each of the Qualitative and Quantitative methods can bring about in the study on media usage it is important to look into the probable questions that each of the method can seek to answer. For instance, if a survey is divided into two phases, namely the Qualitative Phase leading to the Quantitative Phase the first part will present questions in front of respondents and look for answers as to what extent they experience certain feelings when reading news. In one such survey for example, respondents were questioned about how far they agreed on such a feeling of being drowned in the news which led to a plethora of sentimental outbursts from varied interviewees and therefore helped to gauge readers thoughts and experiences towards reading news. Quantitative Phase of the survey that followed the Qualitative one in the above survey was designed to study respondents along a longitudinal sample with items of construct as taken from the former qualitative phase without any particular newspaper assumption and thereby seeking to quantify the experience of news, online or printed as a media source.
What to Choose?
When faced with the question as to which methodology to choose, it is often found that the questions chosen may be answered in both quantitative as well as qualitative terms thus baffling many. The right approach is to understand whether the goal of the study is a systematic approach which will yield generalized and comparable data or whether the target of the research is to bring about a detailed or “thick” description of any particular context or case. In the above study which forays into the reading habits of the Emirati youths the Quantitative method of research is the one that will be selected as the apt method for bringing about findings by taking a generalized approach towards the whole population in terms of the data obtained from the sample study thus proffering an extensive information with relation to the reading behaviors of online news as put forth by the youth population of UAE. The reasons for this selection has been enumerated in the following section.
3.3 Quantitative Research Methodology
The aim of the study in question is to understand the reading habits of the UAE youths with the advent of the electronic media and to assess the changes, if any, in terms of their previous reading habits to the present ones by taking into consideration the behavior towards printed news reading as well as online news reading demeanor. In order to arrive at the required consensus and conclusion the study has made use of the Quantitative Research methodology over Qualitative Research method which in turn will lead to collection of data revealed through a survey across a sample population of Emirati Youths.
The choice of Quantitative method has been done on reasons more than one. Quantitative methods encompass a number of techniques that can be applied to bring about the desired outcome. These include document review, interviews and surveys (Greaseley 2008) among which the survey technique is considered the most apt and the best way since it proffers generalized data, can be enhanced through numerical data and takes into account the statistical nature of the research work. For, “survey research involves any procedure that is used to ask questions of respondents” (Luther, 2009, p. 146), the above study will seek to obtain the self-reported data of the respondents interviewed on their uses, attitude and behavior towards the online news genre. The responses thus obtained can be analyzed and classified under myriad categories as per degrees and types of users and across demographical boundaries through statistical data. A robust set of questions can be framed to elicit the right responses and their pattern of behavior towards online news consumption.
In addition to the above, the survey method of the Quantitative Research methodology may also be considered the most acceptable in that it does away with in-depth, cumbersome research works which in turn is more time consuming and incurs bigger expenses. If the amount of data obtained through survey is taken into account the expenses incurred in the same seems compensated (Wimmer and Dominick, 2006). The process also appears relatively more attractive and easier to researchers since they can obtain data through a larger chunk of individuals and taking into account a whole cauldron of variables. The quantitative method is especially apt for any study based on the use of the Internet because of its inherent nature of doing away with geographical boundaries thereby providing researchers the opportunity to gauge the real environment in its actuality. Similar studies on news reading or online consumption behavior of individuals across the globe have been conducted in the past taking the Quantitative method to be the right approach for study.
The reason why Qualitative approach has been deemed less suitable for the given subject of study of the news reading habits of the UAE youths online is that in spite of its reliable and authentic approach it fails when the question of its application across a wide spectrum of sample participants arises. The Qualitative method makes use of a structured or semi-structured approach which is based on a specific context which in turn limits its usability and application for the said study. Quantitative approach on the other hand, is more objective-oriented and proffers data which can be relied on when one seeks to understand such things as the changing habits of news reading and the extent to which such changes have been witnessed across an extensive sample of population. Since it is based on a fixed response and does away with the subjective directions revealed by the myriad facets of the Qualitative method, the Quantitative survey will give out more formidable data which can be used for vigorous and apt statistical analysis required for the study. Since the objective of all survey methods of research remain the same- that of obtaining large chunks of information in the same standard conditions so as to treat, analyze and proffer statistical basis to them while enabling researchers to generalize as well as compare, quantitative methodology remains highly popular.
Survey Design: “ A survey design provides a quantitative or numeric description of some fraction of the population- the sample- through the data collection process of asking questions of people.”
The survey design comprises the set of questions which seeks to review the goal of the study and discuss the purpose for which the survey is being executed. The Population sample in a survey design will have to be described in some detailing through the sample design while their characteristics along with sampling procedures mentioned. It has to determine the way the population for sampling needs to be selected and also consider whether through such random selections across the entire population the sample will bear the characteristics required to make the survey a success. The sampling procedure should be stratified enough to so as to be manifested in the sample and reflect the real characteristics of the population in general. The sample design will also contain the number of individuals included within the sample and the way it was determined.
Under the present study a survey will be carried out based on the Quantitative methodology of readership research by accommodate a sample population of Emirati youths aged between 18 and 25 years of age via the online platform. The sample population will be collected through varied Universities, both private as well as public across the whole of the United Arab Emirates that encompasses all the seven Emirates. The survey will be devoid of cumbersome procedures and will be a short one with simple, straightforward close-ended questions for greater precision and objectivity so as to ensure that the participating readers in the survey can proffer feedback or answer questions with clarity and ease.
The survey will include the Survey Monkey as its platform for operation which is an online survey platform offering services to researchers and enables them to distribute the questions of survey to the respondents smoothly. The questionnaire chosen will be either put forth in front of the respondents through the means of direct emailing or creating a web-based platform which will operate across Universities in the UAE. The web-based survey makes it convenient to reach out to a wide spectrum of participants at a go.
No survey can be complete without the mention of variables which should be presented in the form of a table seeking to cross-referencing it with the questions, specific items of study or the hypothesis.
3.4 Limitations:
In spite of all the advantages witnessed in the survey method of Quantitative methodology in conducting research, it is not without its quota of limitations. The reason why limitations have to be taken into account when considering the study on the online news habits of Emirati youths is to minimize those very aspects which seek to make the method a restricted one in the project of study. For one, in a survey the number of questions framed and their scope is always limited. This in turn poses limitations on the translation of questions that are deemed “closed” especially when the subject of study has something to do with meanings and understandings. The method does not offer opportunities to carry out in-depth survey or deal with the complexities of the answers provided by the respondents (Wimmer and Domonick, 2006). Surveys also do away with the causality explaining the relation between the intervening variables over which they have the opportunity to exercise very less control. Quantitative methods of survey requires a definitive and well-organized and systematic establishment of questionnaire which should target just the right dimensions for the specific study. Therefore, a poorly framed question order or question wording can maim the very purpose of the survey. It has often been found that individuals show some kind of reluctance towards participating in surveys as they feel loathed to give their feedback thus plummeting the response rates. Many researchers have found it difficult to accumulate and approach the target audience required to carry out the survey because of the averseness put forth by quite a handful of the potential respondents. The Internet survey or the Web survey used in some of the studies have left out those youths who have no access to the web thus limiting the survey to be executed only among those who have their hands on their Internet. Moreover unlike Qualitative methodology, surveys are considerably limited in terms of proffering descriptions and understanding of individuals’ preferences towards any particular aspect of a study.
3.5. Summary:
However, despite the limitations of the Quantitative survey method of research it appears the most suitable and apt design of studying the behaviors of UAE youths towards online news reading. It allows researchers to take into account an extensive pools of the population while making it easier to carry out comparative study and generalizing from the sample taken. Testing assumptions or hypothesis spread across a huge sample population is done without difficulty and the time taken is considerably lesser than its qualitative counterparts. Being objective in nature, the findings can be relied upon as being free form personal idiosyncrasies and preferences with regard to the reading news habits.
A survey encompasses a survey design which makes up the essence of the methodology of a research study and this design includes the survey questions, taking into account variables, chalking out population sample and Data Analysis.
The objective of the present survey is to gauge the news reading behavior of the UAE youths and to understand and trace their behavior as to how they consider news, follow them and with what frequency so as to arrive at a conclusion on the trends of the same among the younger generations. Understanding the news preferences of the youths and how they like to read them or follow them will help media organizations improve themselves so as to reach out to a wider spectrum of young audience through such mediums as Smartphones, Internet and E-readers and pave a path for a better educated and enlightened society.
News Reading Habits of UAE Youths- Questionnaire
- What is your concept of news? Or How do you define news?(Is it different from what the older generations think, is wider, narrower or something which cannot be grasped only through the limits of the newspaper)
- What are the topics you search for most in the newspapers? (Such as Politics, Sports, Current Events, Entertainment and the likes)
- What are your favorite areas of news online or otherwise? (male and female)
- How frequently do you use the Internet? (Daily, weekly, bi-weekly or never)
- What are the topics or subjects you look for on the internet? (Current events, Politics, Entertainment, Sports, Trendy news, Fashion, Beauty, Love and Relationships, Health, Travel)
- How do you prefer reading news online and for how long? (typical morning news reading, catching up news once in the morning and again at night, intermittent reading throughout the day and the time allotted to each reading session)
- How reliable do you find online news to traditional media like newspaper?
- How do you find online news websites useful for monitoring news 24/7?
- Why do you think there has been a shift in the preference for news media in UAE?
- What media do you use to check news online? (Laptops or Desktops, Smartphones and the likes)
- What do you think has been the impact of online media on traditional one?
- How much are you addicted to newspaper reading?
- Which are your favorite sites online? (Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter)
- Which news websites do you go through most? (Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Emirates247, UAE Interact)
- How far does the 24/7 accessibility of the internet drive you to use it for news reading purposes?
- In what ways traditional newspapers supersede online news websites?
- Has the newspaper reading habit been inculcated in you since childhood?
- Do you have the habit of reading books like fictions and non-fictions in addition to newspaper reading?
- What motivates you to read news online or otherwise?
- Do you engage in in-depth news reading or glimpsing through headlines?
- How far is the Internet a useful medium for detailed information seeking? (Especially about hot trends, latest happenings across the world or significant incidents like an accident, a winning match, elections)
- Do you indulge in incidental exposure reading? (such as stumbling upon some news material of interest when browsing other sites or other newsworthy information.)
- Has your news reading habit developed post advent of Internet? (Many of UAE youths prefer reading online rather than taking to books or newspapers)
- Do you think the proliferation of the online media has or can affect the growth of print media in your country?
- How many times in a week do you indulge in real newspaper reading?
- What feature/ features of the online media appeals to you the most?
- Does the Internet help you keep updated?
- What do you prefer- professional journalistic content as found in newspapers or multiple views presented by various individuals, both professional and otherwise at the online platform?
- Do you feel addicted to news reading, online or through newspapers?
- Do you like getting news through online news websites or through other social networking sites or discussion platforms where people share news in real time?
Writing Wreck 