JOURNALOF InternationalScientificPublications: MediaandMassCommunication Peer-ReviewedOpenAccessJournal Publishedat: http://www.scientific-publications.net PublishedbyInfoInvestLtd www.sciencebg.net ISSN1314-8028,2012,Bulgaria(EU) JournalofInternationalScientificPublications: MediaandMassCommunication,Volumeͳ ISSN1314-8028,Publishedat:http://www.scientific-publications.net AdvisoryEditor IgorKyukanov,USA Co-EditorinChief SergeyKorkonosenko,Russia EditorialBoard AisluTassimova,Kazakhstan DieterHermannSchmitz,Finland GalinaSinekopova,USA JunichiSuzuki,Japan KalninsViktors,Latvia KireSharlamanov,Macedonia MiraMoshe,Israel NezihaMusaoglu,Turkey RitaGarskaite,Lithuania SreckoJelinic,Croatia ViktorSidorov,Russia PublishedinAssociationwithScienceƬEducationFoundation Allresearcharticleshaveundergonerigorouspeerreview,basedoninitialeditor screeningandanonymizedrefereeingbyatleasttworeferees. Recommendingthearticlesforpublishing,thereviewersconfirmthatintheiropinion thesubmittedarticlecontainsimportantornewscientificresults. Theauthorsofthearticlesbeartheresponsibilityfortheircontent. Whenquotingthearticlestheirauthorandeditionshouldbementioned. Itisnotallowedtheeditionofthescientificarticlestobecopied,multipliedand distributedwiththepurposeoftradewithoutthepermissionoftheeditor. 2 PublishedbyInfoInvest,Bulgaria,www.sciencebg.net JournalofInternationalScientificPublications: MediaandMassCommunication,Volumeͳ ISSN1314-8028,Publishedat:http://www.scientific-publications.net INFORMATIONAL MARGINALIZATION IN DIGITAL MEDIA AMONG PEOPLE OVER 45 YEARS OF AGE IN POLAND Anna Bernatowicz1, Rafal Iwanski2 Katedra Socjologii i Filozofii, Poznan University of Economics, al. Niepodleglosci 10, 61-875 Poznan, Poland1, Katedra Socjologii i Filozofii, Poznan University of Economics, Poznan, Poland2 Abstract The Internet non-use brings social and economic exclusion as consequences. At the same time Internet is a medium that is still a domain of young people. In Poland, there is a huge diversity in the Internet use depending on the age: the largest category of people not using the network, thus most at risk of digital exclusion, are those over 45 years of age. The research conducted among persons belonging to this age category that study the most popular Polish web portal onet.pl is to show that the website is not directed toward people over 45 and that the barriers resulting from maladjusted content, intrusive advertising and the way information is presented restrict the access to the benefits of global network to these people and cause their marginalization as information recipients. Moreover, the sense of exclusion among the respondents and their expectations towards the Internet and web portals as sources of information will be verified. Key words: information, Internet, online news portals, Polish media 1. INTRODUCTION In recent years Internet appears to have become an inherent part in human lives, both professional and personal. The computer usage and ability to go online has become a norm, especially among young people, who are now called the net generation (Tapscott, 2010). It is often emphasized that the changes of a technical nature will shift the commercial media in the direction of interactivity: communication via the Internet has the feature of being two-way, unlike the communication via traditional media. New digital technologies allow new forms of education innovation and creativity (Krzysztofek, 2011 ): the passive media messages consumer is becoming a prosumer, and may be able to affect the media structure. The information recipient is becoming active, he produces as well as consumes . The use of cultural goods has been becoming more individualized and subordinated to the needs of consumers, not producers (Krajewski, 2003). Moreover, there is a growing credibility of the Internet as a source of the first hand information. Tools of creation, however, are increasingly being concentrated in a small number of subjects, mainly in the hands of media corporations. As showed further in this paper, online web portals, like the Polish onet.pl are also primary Internet information sources. The increasing speed of communication, interaction and networking can create innovation, but also force the continuous improvement of competence and adaptation to the fast-changing socio-economic environment. Those, for whom keeping up with the adoption of new technologies is most difficult are older adults, who are the so-called 'net migrants' (Tapscott, 2010). This paper presents the study that was conducted among people over 45 years of age and verifies their expectations and recognition of the Internet in general and Onet.pl web portal in particular, as modern and accessible information source. The Internet abilities of the respondents will be further on verified 3 PublishedbyInfoInvest,Bulgaria,www.sciencebg.net JournalofInternationalScientificPublications: MediaandMassCommunication,Volumeͳ ISSN1314-8028,Publishedat:http://www.scientific-publications.net 2. THE ‘NET MIGRANTS’: PRESENTATION OF THE RESEARCH 2.1. Sample group The sample group included 38 people who attended computer classes for seniors in 2011-2012. Among the participants there were 12 people who attended the course organized by Dom Kultury (Culture Club) ‘Klub Skolwin’ free of charge that was intended for inhabitants of the furthest north located residential district of Szczecin1. The rest of participants of the research came from commercial courses organized for seniors by a private firm ‘Akademia 50+’ where lessons were attended and paid for by a group who lived in PoznaĔ. The research was carried out in the month of April in the course of the computer classes. The participants of both groups were asked to take part in the test voluntarily. The study had not been included in the course programme and the participants were not informed of such an intention earlier. The study was divided into three parts; firstly members of the surveyed group were asked to fill in a questionnaire marked as a first stage which did not exceed the duration of 25 minutes. Then they started up monitors in which www.onet.pl website had already been logged in. The respondents were supposed to browse the website for 3 minutes to familiarize themselves with available pieces of information. Supervisors did not interfere with the process of selection nor suggested any choices. Afterwards monitors were switched off and the respondents set about filling in the second and third parts of the questionnaire. Men constituted one third of the entire tested group. The average age of all participants was nearly 64. Every fifth respondent did not exceed the age of 60 and 6% were below 55. The youngest was 50 years old. Since the participation in the classes was voluntary and the classes were addressed to people who considered themselves older generation no limitations regarding the age (demographical), professional activity (economical), etc., were imposed. Over half of the respondents were people of the age ranging 60-69, every third person was over 70 but only 6% exceeded 75. In the entire group there were 50% with university education, 37% with high education but only 13% with vocational or primary education. People with vocational or primary education were present only in the Szczecin group, just one person in this group had university education. Majority of the respondents had been recent computer users. Most of them, 26% pointed out that the year 2011 was the initial year of their adventure with computers and 16% gave the year 2012 for the same, which is the year of conducting the study. “Early pioneers” amongst the respondents were people who came into contact with computers already in the 1990s. Altogether nine people pointed out that they used a computer before the year 2000, which constituted 24% of the respondents. The year 1990 is considered the beginning of the Internet in Poland. In November 1990, an email was sent from European Organization for Nuclear Research and received by Instytut Fizyki Jądrowej (Institute of Nuclear Physics) in Kraków. At first the access to the Internet was in the possession of scientific institutions and it was run by NASK, that is Scientific and Academic Computer Network. Up till 1995, NASK had been the only operator of the Internet network in Poland which served non- academic users [Rafa J. (1995)]. The access to the Internet was getting more and more widespread in 1 Skolwin is a relatively small district of Szczecin (400.000 inhabitants) that has slightly above 3.000 inhabitants, however it is perceived as the most dangerous and antiquated as far as the development of infrastructure is concerned. The district resembles a rural enclave due to its nice geographical location (in Odra’s estuary), distance from the city centre – around 11km from the City Hall and a low degree of urbanisation. Before the transformation of the state, Skolwin was rather working class in character. There were huge factories within and around the district - Huta Szczecin, Papiernia Skolwin, Cegielnia, etc. After 1989 most of the factories went bankrupt or decreased their production significantly which had a great impact on the district itself. Skolwin evolved from a district for working class to slums where there is quite a huge crime rate. 4 PublishedbyInfoInvest,Bulgaria,www.sciencebg.net JournalofInternationalScientificPublications: MediaandMassCommunication,Volumeͳ ISSN1314-8028,Publishedat:http://www.scientific-publications.net Poland since 1996, when Telekomunikacja Polska, the main company