Social Media Use by the Youth and Journalists: Saudi Society

Abstract

The appearance and development of new media, and the proliferation of social media, reduced distances and removed barriers between sender and receiver. Social networking sites have also made substantial changes to the features and methods of traditional media and journalistic practices. In response, social media platforms have become important sources of information for many traditional journalists. Our research sought to decipher the bilateral relationship between social networking sites and traditional Saudi media and Saudi youth, as well as the relationship between Saudi journalists and media professionals and social media sites, by adopting a quantitative and qualitative analysis as a research method and the Spaniards as a measurement tool. The study showed that Saudi youth are quite dependent on social media but mainly obtain news from traditional media that they consider to be more reliable. The study also showed that the adoption of social networking sites in journalistic fields varied greatly among journalists, especially according to the age variable. While younger journalists considered social media as a source of news and information, there was a refusal among older journalists to rely on social networking sites because ‘most of what is published on Social networking sites are false news and malicious rumors’.