New mass media impact on the nature of public communication and the use and gratification
of existing mass media because each new medium is used and experienced differently. As a
new mass medium, the Internet offers different forms of communication, such as Internet
Relay Chat, Multi-User Dungeons and chatrooms. It has also combined traditional mass
media, namely print, radio and television, into a single powerful medium. Due to the fact that
the Internet is still an emerging medium, its long-term effects on the nature of public
communication and traditional mass media warrants ongoing investigation.
The first part (Part A) of this dissertation situates the Internet chronologically within the
development of traditional mass media and their impact on public communication. Part B
investigates Internet use among a group of professionals in South Africa. The objective is to
identify how they use the Internet and the gratification they derive from it.Communication ScienceM.A. (Communication
