88. Name: Khalid Al Jaber Title: Audiences’ Perceptions of News Media Services in the Arab World (Al Jazeera and BBC Arabic) Institution: University of Leicester Country: United Kingdom Date: 2012 Language: English Abstract: The launch of Arab satellite channels such as Al Jazeera has been regarded as a milestone in the history of Arab media. This development affected Arab audiences considerably. This study investigates Arab audiences’ perceptions of news media services. The study examines news consumption profiles and how they are related to new and old news provision as well as to viewers’ motivations for watching news. It also attempts to understand the evolvement of mass media outlets in the Arab world in the last decade and the interaction between news media and their audiences. This study also explores the role of the new media as a major means of communication and information. It deals with the changes in the media landscape not just at the technical level, but also as a key factor in changing media production and consumption patterns. The findings indicate that respondents did not display extreme or polarized political orientations. They showed that news channels emerged as the leading resource of news and information for respondents in the Gulf States. Al Jazeera and BBC Arabic were rated highly as credible news sources.
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