Application of traditional theories in the age of cyber communication

Abstract EN

Analyzing previous studies indicates that the concept of media-morphosis was totally correct that the traditional media has been transformed to digital media and accordingly the application of the traditional media theories on cyber communication is valid.

It is true that some other researches were done on Cyber communication according to the different nature of the new social media platforms.

Individuals are totally relying on the social networks as an essential part of their daily lives, and as digital media is gradually replacing the traditional media, old traditional media theories is progressively adapting to the new digital environment and its application.

Katz (1959) suggested that the field might save itself by turning to the question “What do people do with the media? ” Individuals have considerably different uses and gratifications; they take and share messages with different shape and content and so interact.

This also means that uses and gratifications approach is confirmed and it can be occurring in the new media orientation in various ways.

Although, diffusion of innovation and knowledge gap were used intensively as traditional media theories, applications on digital media showed their applicability for cyber communication.

As many sites that appear to be helpful and neutral sources of information are actually run by businesses trying to sell products.

Many online news sites are now blurring the distinction between editorial content and advertising, a distinction that has long been a fundamental rule of journalism.

As McCombs and Shaw (1993) stated in their paper about the evolution of agenda setting with rapid change of communication nature; “the continuing and growing validity is remarkable.

” Related issue that has been introduced in some studies is the concept of credibility has been a long-standing issue in mass communication research among the new media, even more than traditional media.

The Internet raises issue of the accuracy, reliability, and adequacy of information.

Chat rooms and multiplayer games raise questions of whether people are who they appear to be.

The push for speed on the Internet may make even a major news organization release information without checking it out carefully.

Finally, we can conclude that old traditional theories are developing to deal with Internet.

And most of the researches on cyber communication has been using the old traditional media theories with the integration of digital concepts such as interactivity, hypertext, and multimedia.