Levels of interest in developing the competencies of Arab journalists in utilizing digital technology techniques

Abstract

Study Title: Levels of Interest in Developing the Competencies of Arab Journalists in Utilizing Digital Technologies

Department of Digital Journalism, College of Media, University of Baghdad

The research problem lies in identifying the level of interest journalists have in developing their competencies in using digital technology. Based on this, the study adopted several objectives, the most important of which are:

1.To identify the level of skills of Arab journalists in utilizing digital technologies in news websites.

2.To reveal the methods Arab journalists use to develop their digital competencies.

3.To determine the extent to which Arab journalists benefit from the training activities organized by their news websites.

This research falls under the category of descriptive research, and the researcher adopted the survey method. A questionnaire was used to conduct a field survey on a sample of (238) Arab journalists working in news websites. The research yielded several key findings, including:

1.The results indicate that Arab journalists possess a good level of basic digital skills, such as editing and digital content design, while there is a weakness in advanced and specialized skills, such as podcast production and the creation of integrated interactive content.

2.The results reveal that the development of digital skills among Arab journalists relies more heavily on self-directed and informal sources, such as following online educational content and learning from colleagues, while their reliance on institutional, union, or academic programs is relatively low.

3.The study revealed that the majority of Arab journalists participated in a limited number of training activities over the past five years, and there is widespread dissatisfaction among journalists regarding the quality of the training programs offered. This reflects a clear gap between these programs and their actual needs, both in terms of quantity and quality.