The Development of Online Journalism and Traditional Media - Article Example

CREDIBILITY OF ONLINE NEWS IN SAUDI ARABIA By Name Course Instructor Institution Location Date Introduction The introduction of the internet has seen massive changes on the access of information being implemented across the globe (Ghareeb 2000, p. 395). Millions of people are accessing the internet to access information on given topics of their choice, others are using the internet for entertainment, and some are using the internet for business purposes, while others are accessing news about various incidents. Online journalism has become the new trend for both business organizations and for media agencies. The media agencies have found the internet to be an effective platform through which they can share real-time news and reach a wide number of the audience. However, there have been concerns on the online news credibility across the world. Such concerns hold a lot of weight as journalism is a field characterized with utter credibility, for the journalists are expected to give truthful and reliable accounts of news instances to their audience (Alawad 2010). If any press does not win the trust and confidence of the audience, then the attention of the general public which makes its audience shifts to other press firms. This has been the question in Saudi Arabia; how credible are the online news sources? In this regard, the traditional press firms in Saudi Arabia had won the trust of the citizens, until the advent and adoption of the online news sources. The traditional media forms are threat of becoming extinct through competition from the online new sources for attention from the audience. There has been a growing trend in which the public has favoured the access on news through online platforms. A number of studies have been done to respond to the issue of the credibility of online newspapers in Saudi Arabia, and such studies include those by Marwan (2013), Alawad (2010) and Al Qarni (2004). This paper is a dissertation introduction plan on the credibility of the online news in Saudi Arabia. I justify my findings through extensive and in-depth interviews carried out on users of online newspapers and journalists during my fieldwork that I took in the country on July and August, 2013. Saudi society and online news As is the case with most authoritarian governments, the adoption of internet services is not a technological advancement that is easily accepted (Yamani 2000). Such regimes are forewarned of the impacts of embracing the internet to their governance systems that are alien to democracy. Such was the situation in Saudi Arabia. The adoption of online news platforms has faced similar challenges as the introduction of internet in countries under regimes of authoritarian leaders. In Saudi Arabia, instances of lack enthusiasm on the internet introduction for fear of the political awareness it could create on the Saudis. However, the government changed its reluctance on the adoption of the internet due to consideration of the related economic and commercial advantages of use of internet in the country (Kraidy 2013, p 32). The adoption of the internet led to other notable developments, and the sector of media underwent massive changes. Transfer and sharing of information became faster. Real-time delivery of news was achieved with the introduction of online media for news reporting. Online newspapers were such an advancement that saw Saudis access information from various parts of the country without discrimination of time. The government however has shown opposition to such access of news on online platforms for fear of involved political risks. The online newspaper form of media has received both negative and positive criticism over its credibility. Globalization, thus, has been incorporated into the media to realize increased pressure on majorly authoritarian regimes in developing countries. Saudi Arabia is such a country in which bloggers have been charged and arrested. Fouad Al Farhan is a Saudi writer who was a blogger and was arrested and detained for a period of four months. Seen as the leader of Saudi bloggers, his case remained a controversy, and the local Saudi Arabian traditional newspapers di not divert any attention to this arrest, arguably as they were taking orders from the government to ignore the case. However, this case did receive global attention, starting from bloggers in Saudi Arabia and spreading to other nations worldwide through the internet. Discussions were carried out on various platforms, ranging from international television channels to websites over the internet. Organizations stood up and demanded release of Fouad Al Farhan. The ‘Reporters Without Borders’ was such an organization which demanded release of Fouad Al Farhan and further gained recognition as potential organization that can publicize minor cases as press suspension into global issues. Such organizations do not accept government action of exerting pressure on online sources of news, and the Saudi government is compelled to seek alternative modes of pressuring online newspapers (Alawad 2010, p. 180; Kraidy 2013, p. 28-42). The credibility of the internet as a source of news could not be admitted to by the journalists for they felt that the emergence of the internet could greatly deny them the control over the professional standards that are required in the field (Guaaybess (ed) (2013). These journalists felt that the traditional forms of media were the ultimate forms of credible news reporting. Online newspapers have been identified for their variance in value and norm when compared to the traditional media forms. For instance, it is common practice for online newspapers to determine the most effective formats of reporting pieces of news, identify ways through which they can encourage audience participation, as well as determining proper ways of creating connections between events reported. Markedly, the technological interface has proved a challenge to the traditional forms of news reporting. Added to the challenge, the online newspaper media gives the users the ability of acting as gatekeepers to themselves. It is for such challenges that the proponents of traditional news media have found it necessary to resist the online newspapers on the claim that the platform has been responsible for the diminished manner in which expresses credibility. Described as a deviant media form, online newspapers have been noted for their potential in altering the accepted standards of professional journalism. The deviant nature of online newspapers has been coined to their unreliability and lower quality as opposed to ‘mainstream’ traditional news media. Other schools of thought however might argue for the online newspapers. With the fact that journalism, just like other professions, does undergo development. Journalism experiences change through enhancement of readership and quality of news through incorporation of novel values, practices and norms (Al Qarni 2004). Such schools of thought note that even the traditional forms of news media have adopted some factors which define online sources of news into their systems. This is a justification that online sources of news are indeed credible. Amongst the argument for the credibility of online sources of news is the fact that online sources give a wide range of information, and they act as effective tools of research. However, the political situation in Saudi Arabia is characterized with limited information sharing, with the internet use for such political discussions being discouraged by the authoritarian regime which is in power. The government does not feel enthusiastic toward the use of online newspapers and platforms of accessing news and information for this puts their authority under threat of opposition. The traditional news media forms have a similar argument as the Saudi Arabian authoritarian which sees the online newspapers as less credible in terms of services they offer to the public. There is competition for audience among the two media forms in Saudi Arabia. The traditional news media platforms work under government compulsion to work in agreement with the policies initiated by the government. Lack of freedom for such media has been identified as the major contributor to the criticism of the online newspapers as having little credibility. The politically aware citizens and users of online newspaper platforms, however, have a divergent view with regard to the credibility of such sources of news (Guaaybess 2013). Those with political interests are noted to appreciate the credibility of online sources of news more as opposed the traditional media for news. According to Alsaeed (2004, p.174), although the credibility of online news is questionable, such pointers as arrest and attack of bloggers is an open tackle by the government in an attempt to challenge the internet news source’ credibility. The government seeks to present such online sources as those without clearly set objectives. The sources are also portrayed as alien to independence and professional practice and trust from Saudis. Even journalists are forming a tendency to utilize internet sources for gathering of news, thus probably changing their view on online sources of news. Although a number of studies have been conducted to give insight into the existence of novel media forms in the Saudi Arabian context, there is need to respond to the need to ascertain the credibility of online newspapers in Saudi Arabia which is an issue that has received diverse recognition the world through. Research aims and methodology This dissertation has aims which have objectively been developed so as to obtain reliable information on the question on the credibility of the online news sources. The study thus seeks to generally determine the credibility of online journalism and its related news after a keen study of the people from Saudi Arabia who form the informed respondents in the study. The study also obtains the required data from the members of the Saudi Arabian journalism profession. After such significant data has been obtained, informed comparison between the levels of credibility between the online news media and traditional news media as the television, radio and local newspapers is carried out. The following re the specific objectives of this study; 1. To identify the basic constituent factors that define the idea of credibility of news on the digital platforms of journalism as identified by the point of view of the audience from Saudi Arabia alongside the views of other news producers. This objective seeks to identify what it means with the description of news as being credible. This basically draws on the source of the news, and categorically the objective is aimed at online journalism with intent to determine what factors have been used to term news sources as credible. This implies that the objective will be met only if the audience and journalists from Saudi share their viewpoints on online news credibility. 2. To draw a comparison between the credibility of news obtained from online sources and news from traditional sources as revealed by the audience from Saudi. This objective seeks to find the divergent and convergent ideologies as far as the traditional and online news sources are concerned in terms of their credibility. This objective thus will ensure that the sources of news, both online and traditional are discussed in terms of their credibility and differences in their credibility be identified from the argument and evidence put forward by the Saudi audience. 3. To determine the kind and sources of news reported on specific online cites alongside the credibility of the news on such particular cites. This objective will require the researcher to foremost identify specific online sites that are to be subjected to close study and scrutiny. After identification of the sites, there is dire need to determine the type of news that is reported on the identified sites. The sources of the news are also vital in this study thus need to be ascertained. Such sources could include organizations as well as governments in power. After all have been determined, then the identification of the credibility of the online cites identified can be undertaken. 4. To evaluate the need for the audience in Saudi Arabia to shift their attention to alternative news media in case the credibility of selected media forms is not ascertained. The last objective of this study seeks to assess whether the Saudi Arabian audience might shoe the desire to change from a given medium of news reporting to another over claims of the former missing their expected credibility. The objective basically is intended to determine whether failure of a specific traditional medium might necessitate the audience to shift their attention to the online sources of news, otherwise identified as the foreign sources as opposed to the traditional sources that are local. More specifically, for instance, this objective seeks to find out if the Saudi audience can prefer the internet as a source of news to the traditional television id the latter lacks the audience’s expected and desired credibility. The thesis will use both the qualitative and quantitative methodologies for data collection which will enable effective determination of the credibility of the online sources of news with consideration of the political context of the Saudi Arabian state. Qualitative research will be defined by the application of the substantiated theoretical arguments which in most cases are obtained through interviewing. On the other hand, the quantitative research data will be characterized by data which can be quantified, tested and analyzed in order to obtain meaningful deductions. However, the study will not only rely on statistical data for quantitative research. However, since drawing of conclusions with regard to the various news sources and their credibility is a necessity, quantitative data is vital. Questionnaires are a common source of quantitative data. The study thus heavily relies on interviews and questionnaires for data collection. Detailed discussion of the methodology applied in this study is adequately covered in the second chapter of the dissertation. Structure of the dissertation This section of my dissertation is an introduction of each of the subsequent chapters tackled in this study. The introductions are an elaboration on what each and every chapter is talking about, the focus which has been assigned to the chapters and the manner in which these chapters are organized and linked in order to develop an effective dissertation. Herein illustrated in the breakdown of the dissertation into various chapters and what they deal in. Chapter one The initial chapter of this dissertation talks about news media in general. The various modes of presentation of news are covered. The modes are broadly categorized into two; the traditional news media and the online news media. Each category has defining examples. Traditional modes of news reporting were the earliest and local forms of news media. The radio, television and local newspapers are examples of the traditional news media. These are the media forms that have been identified to work with regard to government expectations. Such conditions of news reporting with consideration of the government policies have been common occurrences in developing countries among which Saudi Arabia has been listed. These developing countries have further been characterized with authoritarian government regimes where the media forms have to comply with government policies out lack of independence and freedom of media. The online media forma are treated as foreign platforms in this dissertation for they are not locally owned. They operate using the internet. The internet is one major technological advancement that the government of Saudi Arabia was reluctant to embrace for fear of access of information by its citizens which could mean strengthened opposition. However, analysis of the advantages the country could gain economically, the internet was allowed in Saudi, although it was censored all together. Bloggers were discouraged through arrest and detention. Such actions by the government as internet censorship and arrest of bloggers led to the background of this dissertation, with the major aim of determining the credibility of the online news sources with close attention paid to the contribution of the political situation in the country. Chapter two The second chapter of the dissertation covers the credibility of media found in Saudi. The chapter analyses the general perception of credibility with regard to the state politics. The chapter takes in the views of the public in order to ascertain the trust of information accessed by the public from the various news sources. The chapter also looks at the step by step development that has been noted in Saudi Arabia. Chapter three The third chapter of the dissertation discussed the methodology used in data collection. The study uses the two major research designs; quantitative and qualitative research designs. The methodology approach will thus help in access of vital information that can be analyzed for assessment in order to check on the validity of the theoretical and statistical conclusions drawn. The methods that are majorly used include the use in-depth interviews and questionnaires. The data has to be organized and adequately analyzed so as to be useful in the drawing of effective and reliable conclusions on the credibility of particular sources of news. Chapter four The fourth chapter is a discussion of the major steps that the online journalism cites in Saudi Arabia have gone through. Such steps as allowance of internet usage in Saudi, the censorship process and discrimination of online sources for political reasons are examples of the steps identified for the development of online journalism. This foreign media form has thus gained popularity among members of the public and the chapter will identify the ways in which online journalism has posed great competition against traditional media. Bibliography Al Qarni, A. (2004). The Information Revolution, Globalization in the Arab World: A study Of the new media (Satellite Broadcasting and the Internet) & its impact on the Politics & Culture of the Arab World. Unpublished PhD dissertation. University of Sussex(Public sphere chapter). Alawad, T. (2010) The Saudi press and the Internet: How Saudi journalists & media decision makers at the Ministry of Culture and Information evaluate censorship in the presence of the Internet. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Sheffield(Saudi and new media chapter) Top of Form GUAAYBESS, T. (2013). National broadcasting & state policy in Arab countries. Marwan Kraidy (2013) ‘Television reform in Saudi Arabia: The challenges of transnationalisationand digitalization’ pp. 28-42. Bottom of Form ToutyaGuaaybess (ed) (2013) National Broadcasting Policy in Arab Countries, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan Edmund Ghareeb(2000) New Media and the Information Revolution in the Arab World: An Assessment, , Middle East Journal, Vol. 54, No. 3, The Information Revolution (Summer, 2000), pp. 395-418 (Section about Saudi Arabia) Mai Yamani (2000) Changed Identities: The Challenge of the New Generation in Saudi Arabia, Royal Institute of International Affairs, A book review by Danny Yee. 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