The Role of Social Media in Creating New Opinion Leaders from the Egyptian Youth Perspective
, Vol.9
, Thirtieth Fourth Issue - Part 1
PP:15
Authors:
Dr. El Sayed Mohamed Abo Sheashaa-Assistant Professor of Radio & Television,Radio & Television Department,Mass Communication Faculty,Cairo University
Abstract:
This study sought to identify the role of social media in changing the concept of public opinion leaders among Egyptian youth and to identify the mechanisms used by these social platforms to convert ordinary people into new opinion leaders in society, whether these mechanisms are related to the audience or the content creators on websites, Social Influencers or the medium itself.
In its theoretical framework, the study was based on two theoretical approaches: The first is the Opinion Leadership Theory presented by Elizabeth Dubois and others (2020), as an innovative form of the "two-stage information flow" theory. The second is: Diffusion of Innovations The origin modern societies, in which both Rogers and Schoemaker identified the characteristics that new public opinion leaders have in modern societies.
The study relied on the survey method using a questionnaire, which was applied to a non-random sample (available) consisting of 319 respondents to find out their opinion on the role that social electronic platforms play in creating new opinion leaders in society. And the study reached several results, including:
1. There is a statistically significant relationship between the intensity of using social media sites and the extent to which they are considered new Opinion Leaders.
2. There is a correlation relationship with statistical significance between the personal characteristics of the famous social media Influencers and the extent to which they are considered new opinion leaders.
3. There is a correlation between the technology provided by the social media sites and the extent to which the famous social media Influencers consider new Opinion Leaders.
4. There is a statistically significant relationship between the extent to which the celebrities of the social networking sites consider new opinion leaders and the degree of trust in the content they provide to the public.
5. There is a statistically significant relationship between the extent of belief in the role of social media in creating new opinion leaders and the extent of belief in the role of traditional media in their industry.
6. There are significant differences between the study sample respondents according to their demographic characteristics in the intensity of social media use.
7. There are significant differences between the study sample respondents according to their demographic characteristics, and the extent to which famous social media influencers consider new opinion leaders.
Key Words:
Influencers–New Opinion Leaders.
Research Language:
Arabic
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