The Adoption and Use of Social Media and Its Impact on Mainstream Media in Bahrain

The adoption and use of social media has played a major role in the changes in journalists’ work. The use of these new means has become indispensable to the daily tasks and work of journalists in most news organizations. It is no longer possible to bypass these means when it comes to searching for information and news, or in production, publishing, distribution and marketing, or even in interaction with the public. The characteristics of ease, speed, immediacy, interactivity, and being free of charge that characterize them, have made them a useful technological tool, which is influential and necessary not only for the future of the journalist’s career but also for the future of the news organization itself. With the growing number of users of social media around the world, journalists and news organizations have found additional access, more important than previous channels, to access additional sources that help them market and interact with their work in a new dynamic environment completely different from previous communication models, and put audience activity at the forefront. In this study, which is part of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the author tries to understand and analyze the factors of adoption and use of social media as a new technological tool by Bahraini journalists and to identify their new role in the changes in journalism. In addition, the study attempts to examine the implications in relation to the future of the press profession and the economic model of the news organization. The results showed a clear adoption and an increased use of social media by journalists, who consider it a key element in the development of journalism, and an inevitable strategic choice for the future of the news organization. They also expressed their full awareness of the problems surrounding the issue of precision and credibility of news accessed through social media.