Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
2020
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Purpose: This study investigates the Information-Seeking Behavior (ISB) of mass media professionals in E-environment working in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the most important strategic area of Pakistan. To explore the perceptions of mass media professionals towards information seeking in e-environment is significant, because traditional print newspapers, radio and electronic media (TV) face a steady decline in their information sharing due to the growth of free online contents available through internet.
Research Design: A quantitative survey approach was adopted and 130 structured questionnaires were distributed and received back from the working journalists selected through snowball sampling.
Key Findings: Findings of the study indicate that the formal information sources mainly used by respondents were internet, electronic library of reports produced by colleagues, and library. Similarly, the information channels critically important in the opinion of media personnel were internet, mass media (TV, radio, Newspapers agencies), and social media (Face book, Twitter, Whatsapp…etc). The main problems identified during the study, which restricted them from producing high level of news and information for the public were information explosion, lack of time, lack of information searching/retrieval skills.
Conclusions: The study concluded that, the qualification of those media professional should be up-graded through Continuing Professional Development (CPD), who does not possess mass media qualification. The services of in-house media libraries should be improved, as these libraries have good effect on the work of media professionals. Furthermore, overcoming the identified problems would certainly improve the performance of media professionals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.