KUWAIT: In the modern age where cyber media is seemingly playing a prominent role in the daily lives of people around the globe, print media seems to be taking a backseat in terms of bringing the latest news and its reach.
However, such an argument is challenged by media experts, academics, as well as journalists who claim that both the media interact in a way that makes them both necessary for the future development of media.
Professor of Media Studies at Kuwait University (KU) Dr Khaled Al-Gahas told KUNA that any media outlet, whether online or in a paper format, should base its success on credibility and professionalism. Making sure that credibility remains on the forefront of any media institution's agenda will eventually deliver the correct message to the public, argued Al-Gahas.
The Kuwaiti academic agreed that cyber medium has an edge over its print counterpart because of its reach as it goes beyond borders and reaches larger audiences. This ability to reach wide lured many print media outlets to either use cyberspace as an extension of their output while several others, especially in the North America and Europe, opted for a complete conversion online, abandoning the original paper format.
Benefiting from the reach of the cyber media is a way to develop classical outlets, said Media Studies Professor at KU Dr Ahmad Al-Shareef. He indicated that the tough competition posed by cyber media and the fact that it attracts a vast majority of the youth is forcing the print media to step up the rivalry.
With all the benefits and temptations provided by cyber media, its print counterpart has an upper-hand when it comes to professionalism and accuracy, said Al-Shareef, adding that without being organized, cyber media tends to lose some focus and vision when trying to convey information to the audience.
Taking things into consideration, one could not disregard the psychological impact of media as a whole and, with the advent of cyber media, this impact somehow seems to have more influence on the masses. Professor of Psychology at KU Dr Khuder Al-Baroun affirmed that cyber media has demolished the boundaries between cultures and races, providing information to whoever is willing to seek it, without any discrimination.
In contrast, said Al-Baroun, living within the context of cyberspace might lead individuals to become isolated, leading to less direct conversations amongst the people. Some cyber media are contributing to the spread of rumors and chaos, said Al-Baroun, adding that when in cyberspace, it is hard to filter what is false from the truth. Putting things into a context, the argument of who is superior might lie within the hands of those involved directly in the news and information business.
Journalist Fahad Al-Turki affirmed that the relationship between cyber and print media is not about who will eliminate whom but rather about integration. Both types are important to deliver the message to the masses, said Al-Turki. The professionalism provided by print media could be extended to the cyberworld, thus providing a solid mix that would be both efficient and credible. Expressing different views, journalists Nour Al-Abdullah and Musaad Al-Mutairi said that traditional newspapers had various restrictions that prevented them from competing with their cyber counterparts.
They both argued that the topics discussed in cyber media were more diverse and the cost to bring news online was lesser than trying to print a story via traditional methods. They indicated that in order for print media to challenge its cyber counterpart, it should work on measures to update itself, reconsidering policies and methods in which information in today's world is handled. The ongoing debate about cyber versus print media might not reach a decisive conclusion, but it would surely contribute to the evolution of how media is handled and someday a new type of medium will challenge both to reevaluate and consider their approach to information.
© Kuwait Times 2013
