Is it 'social' or 'traditional' media: A study on the future of mediatisation in North Cyprus

Abstract

In this new age, the media environment that hitherto existed on a basis of one to many has metamorphosed into a many-to-many process. Interestingly, media role in the social system has evolved from been a duty of media owners to an all-inclusive one. This is because current trends have provided an open space for segmentation. This study focused on the perceptions of university students about traditional and social media influences of social reality and their preferences for the future of mediatisation. Using the rubrics of a quantitative study, a field survey was conducted among university students in North Cyprus, to understand their subjective views and experiences. This study found that social media holds an essential role in the lives of university students by offering a lot of excitement in the freedom to create content. In the same vein, traditional media still have a good chance to maintain its relevance in information and entertainment by also creating online access. This study concludes against the backdrop of media convergence that despite the popularity of social media among university students, it is almost impossible to establish that traditional media will lose its power of influence on its audiences in the future.