Internet Behaviors of Print-Journalists in Kuwait's Daily Newspapers
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TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNET-RELATED INFORMATION BEHAVIORS OF PRINT JOURNALISTS IN KUWAIT by Abdulnasir Taleb Mansoor Abdulla B.S., Kansas State University, 1997 MLIS, Kuwait University, 2001 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The School of Information Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh December, 2006 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF INFORMATION SCIENCE This dissertation was presented by Abdulnasir Taleb Mansoor Abdulla It was defended on December 11, 2006 and approved by Stuart Shulman, Ph.D., Department of Library & Information Science Sherry Koshman, Ph.D., Department of Library & Information Science Laurence Glasco, Ph.D., Department of History Dissertation Director: Ellen Detlefsen, Ph.D., Department of Library & Information Science ii Copyright © by Abdulnasir Taleb Mansoor Abdulla 2006 iii TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNET-RELATED INFORMATION BEHAVIORS OF PRINT JOURNALISTS IN KUWAIT Abdulnasir Taleb Mansoor Abdulla, Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh, 2006 Dissertation Director: Dr. Ellen Detlefsen, Department of Library and Information Science This study focused on journalists, who are constantly seeking, processing, evaluating and packaging information, in order to shed light on their information behaviors, and contribute to the development of efficient information behaviors. The examination focused on the information behaviors of journalists as they relate to the Internet and information technologies. The population included all print journalists in Kuwait, and was examined using a self- administered questionnaire and interviews by E-mail. Information behaviors were examined from three perspectives: Access and Internet usage, evaluation and purpose, and information technology skills. Access and Internet usage was related to obstacles preventing Internet use, and usage patterns of popular Internet applications such as E-mail. Evaluation and purpose was related to information evaluation criteria, the Internet for conducting journalistic tasks, and the use of the Internet to seek specific types of information. In terms of skills, the examination focused on the skills of journalists in using 21 information technology tools and applications, and their usage patterns of information technology devices. iv Results showed that print journalists in Kuwait were lacking efficient information behaviors in relations to the Internet and information technology. Their usage of the Internet was limited to the most popular applications such as E-mail, search engines, and the World Wide Web. Female journalists were found to be more skilled, and more utilizing, of the Internet than males. Data revealed a large gap in terms of information behaviors between the youngest journalists and the rest of the population. The youngest journalists were found to be more skilled in using the Internet, and relied more heavily on the medium than others. Other results showed that graduates from educational institutions in Kuwait, and Kuwaiti citizens, relied more heavily on the Internet for conducting journalistic tasks than others. Further, results identified age, educational level, journalism experience and Internet experience as important factors that affected information behaviors. Improved behaviors for journalists in Kuwait require interventions on three fronts: education and curricula, training, and workplace practices. These interventions can pave the way for an efficient journalism industry in Kuwait which utilizes the Internet and information technology to its benefit. v TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS_______________________________________________________ vi 1.0 INTRODUCTION _________________________________________________________ 1 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ______________________________________________ 3 1.2 STUDY FOCUS _______________________________________________________________ 5 1.3 IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE ___________________________________________ 6 1.4 OBJECTIVES_________________________________________________________________ 7 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ______________________________________________________ 7 1.6 LIMITATIONS________________________________________________________________ 9 1.7 INFORMATION ABOUT KUWAIT _____________________________________________ 12 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW___________________________________________________ 15 2.1 HUMAN INFORMATION BEHAVIOR __________________________________________ 15 2.2 INFORMATION BEHAVIORS OF JOURNALISTS _______________________________ 19 2.2.1 Source Preferences__________________________________________________________________19 2.2.2 Information Needs & Uses____________________________________________________________24 2.2.3 Information Technology & Internet _____________________________________________________26 2.2.4 Skills, Training, and Evaluation________________________________________________________34 2.3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK _______________________________________________ 38 3.0 METHODOLOGY ________________________________________________________ 41 3.1 DESIGN OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENT ________________________________________ 44 3.1.1 Access & Internet Usage _____________________________________________________________44 3.1.2 Evaluation & Purpose _______________________________________________________________46 3.1.3 Skills ____________________________________________________________________________47 3.1.4 Demographics _____________________________________________________________________48 3.1.5 Comments ________________________________________________________________________48 3.2 FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS BY E-MAIL _______________________________________ 49 3.2.1 Methodological Findings for Interviews by E-mail _________________________________________51 3.3 POPULATION OF STUDY ____________________________________________________ 53 3.4 PRE-TESTING QUESTIONNAIRE _____________________________________________ 53 3.5 ADMINISTRATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE _____________________________________ 55 3.6 CODING AND DATA ANALYSIS_______________________________________________ 57 vi 3.6.1 Questionnaire ______________________________________________________________________57 3.6.2 Age______________________________________________________________________________59 3.6.3 Primary Journalistic Beat _____________________________________________________________60 3.6.4 Citizenship ________________________________________________________________________62 3.6.5 Level of Education __________________________________________________________________63 3.6.6 Primary Field of Study_______________________________________________________________64 3.6.7 Location of Educational Institution _____________________________________________________66 3.6.8 Languages Known __________________________________________________________________66 3.7 MISSING VALUES ___________________________________________________________ 67 3.8 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY________________________________________________ 68 3.9 TIMELINE __________________________________________________________________ 68 4.0 DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS __________________________________________ 70 4.1 DEMOGRAPHICS____________________________________________________________ 71 4.1.1 Response Rate _____________________________________________________________________71 4.1.2 General Characteristics of Population ___________________________________________________73 4.1.3 Characteristics of Female Population____________________________________________________76 4.1.4 Characteristics of Male Population _____________________________________________________78 4.1.5 Significant Demographic Differences ___________________________________________________80 4.2 RQ1- INTERNET ACCESS, NATURE & BARRIERS ______________________________ 82 4.3 RQ2- INTERNET APPLICATIONS USE AND NATURE ___________________________ 87 4.3.1 By Gender ________________________________________________________________________88 4.3.2 By Age ___________________________________________________________________________91 4.3.3 By Journalistic Beat _________________________________________________________________93 4.3.4 By Length of Internet Experience ______________________________________________________94 4.3.5 By Level of Education _______________________________________________________________96 4.3.6 By Primary Field of Study ____________________________________________________________98 4.3.7 By Location of Educational Institution _________________________________________________100 4.3.8 By Languages Known ______________________________________________________________102 4.3.9 By-Email provided_________________________________________________________________102 4.3.10 By Other Variables________________________________________________________________104 4.4 EXPERIENCE USING INTERNET ____________________________________________ 104 4.4.1 Use of E-mail _____________________________________________________________________105 4.4.2 E-mail Attractions _________________________________________________________________106 4.4.3 E-mail Shortcomings _______________________________________________________________107 4.4.4 WWW __________________________________________________________________________108 4.4.5 Importance of WWW Resources ______________________________________________________109 4.5 RQ3- INFORMATION EVALUATION CRITERIA _______________________________ 118 4.5.1 By Gender _______________________________________________________________________119 4.5.2 By Primary Journalistic Beat _________________________________________________________120