Assessment of Journalists’ Information Needs and Seeking Behaviour in Turkey

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the information needs and information seeking behaviour of working journalists in Turkey. It investigated characteristics, information needs, interests, sources and purposes, libraries used and services required by 217 journalists in 31 national Turkish daily newspapers, during the period among January 2007 and June 2008 by means of a conducted survey. Journalists have a need for large volumes of very current and authoritative information, and they felt urged to ask the required information very quickly. Throughout the time it seems that shifts in newspaper coverage, the changing economic conditions, and the information flood provided through the new information technologies altered journalists' information requirements and information seeking behaviour. Considered as well were the barriers against meeting information needs in libraries and archives — in terms of time, resources, education, access and information overload. Conclusively, several recommendations are made for improving the existing situation. Future developments involving the library as an intermediary between electronic networks and the newspaper organization offer promises for inhouse system designers to reach solutions to problems of accessibility and ease of use.