New Media Consumption Pattern among Iranian Consumers: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this article was to identify the consumption pattern of new media among Iranian consumers adopting the conceptual framework of “use and gratification Theory” with an IPA approach

Methodology

The article is qualitative based on interpretative paradigm with an analytical-descriptive approach; it is practical in terms of orientation. The data collection method is semi-structured interviews. Having coded the interviews, we performed an interpretive phenomenological analysis based on the assumptions of the theory of use and gratification in order to analyze the data. Main and sub-themes were extracted to identify the consumption pattern of new media

Findings

Having examined the lived experience of research participants, We identified main themes and sub-themes. The main and sub-themes were classified into two major categories of features related to the user and features related to media consumption tools. The main and sub-themes identified from the consumption pattern of new media among Iranian consumers indicate that the pattern is personalized (autonomous, based on individual preferences and interests), fast food like, driver of communication network (expanding socialization and virtual communication, facilitating communication), screen-based (mainly through smart devices), omnipresent (floating, mobile) and application-oriented.

Conclusion

To achieve a full understanding of what and how it is and to extract the consumption pattern of new media among Iranian consumers, the lived experience of people of daily media consumption and the perception of consumption by Iranian consumers were investigated .Looking at the pattern extracted, it seems that new media, under the profound influence of digital technologies, have presented a new social life to consumers, in which media consumption is a multidimensional, dynamic, full-time and floating phenomenon which is interwoven with various factors such as individual, situational and related to media consumption devices. The trend of changes in the media consumption pattern indicates an increase in the choice of media users/consumers, which is a (concrete) proof of the active role of consumer in choosing media based on individual needs that is the main assumption of use and gratification theory. The new areas of media consumption experience indicate the profound impact of technology on the perceptual and behavioral characteristics of users/consumers; therefore, examining these changes is critical and better understanding of consumers by media organizations and assisting them with revision of marketing strategies could be ensued. In this research, an attempt was made to understand and explain the meaning of new media consumption among Iranian users via interpretive phenomenology. Accordingly, to continue this research, it is suggested to design research with the aim of providing of new media consumption typology in order to recognize the different types of media consumption among Iranian consumers. Such research can be useful as a predictive tool in studying media consumption behavior, and in better understanding what and how media consumption is in Iranian society.