Investigating the Role of Mobile Social Networks on the Journalism Industry

This research aims to study the role of mobile based social networks in journalism industry. These changes are studied in three groups included form, content and application. In current research the notions of journalists and communication sciences experts related to role of mobile based social networks in journalism is studied through Q-methodology. Due to lack of precise sampling framework, the purposeful sampling has been used. The sample size is 60 including 30 journalists and 30 communication sciences expert. The questionnaire includes 33 questions that is designed in form of Likert Spectrum. The data is analyzed by SPSS software and Quenelle software. The results of factor analyze shows that related factor to research subject determines 74,269 percent of the dependent variable changes. This rate of determination has been claimed by journalists and communication sciences experts. These factors have been divided based on application (increasing the audience power, decreasing the expenses, developing the public sphere, universality and high feedback), form (increasing in publication speed, multimedia and omitting the gatekeeping), and content (diversity and plurality of meaning). Factor analysis of statements shows that the factor of increasing the audience power with 13,56 percent is the most important and the universality with 6,64 percent is the least important factor that has affected journalism industry changes in result of using the mobile based social networks in journalism industry.