Journalists' use of the Internet : a New Zealand perspective

Abstract

Despite the quantity of material gathered on the size, growth and use of the Internet, relatively few studies have focused on professionals' use of this information seeking and communications tool. Journalists, as one profession deeply entrenched in the information business, could be expected to be at the forefront of Internet use. Although research on this topic has been conducted in the United States and Britain, the Internet-behaviour of New Zealand journalists has not previously been assessed. The study examines newspaper journalists' use of the Internet in New Zealand, by way of a structured questionnaire. Data from seventy-three respondents is used to analyse their access to the Internet, frequency of use, the Internet functions used, and the specific methods employed to retrieve information from the World Wide Web. Correlations are drawn between demographic characteristics and aspects of Internet usage. The study is informed by Rogers's Diffusion of Innovation theory, and the Information-seeking of professionals model devised by Leckie, Pettigrew and Sylvain.