Away from Tahrir Square, Does the New Media Matter? Effects of ICTs on Political Communication in Local Communities in Egypt

Abstract

The Internet and Social networking sites (SNSs) represented important channels for the dissemination of information, discussion, and participation in the events that paved the way for the 25th of Jan Revolution and throughout the transitional phase in Egypt. The rates of Internet accessibility are noticeably increasing. They mounted to 38% in July 2012 compared with a rate of 13.7% in 2007, with annual growth a rate of users 17%. The Internet role in the Egyptian case has been of interest to the researchers who are the studying the influence of technology use on the political communication.Within this context, this study poses a pivotal question: How far influential is the use of new media on the political communication system in local communities? This qualitative study has come up with the conclusion that the political communication system in local societies has not undergone a noticeable change if compared with the role of the Internet in the political communication system at the national level. The system structure is still basically controlled by national TVs as main sources of political information with a nearly total absence of the Internet and its applications. The locals feel that there are no opportunities for them in the traditional media to express themselves and discuss their problems; for the traditional media is concerned with the public issues rather than the local ones, the impact of which is manifested in poor knowledge of the local public affairs and local policies. The locales did not seek to benefit from the technology available to voice and expose their issues at both the local and national levels. This created a sense of marginalization, inefficacy and un-enthusiasm in any societal or political participation. These results underline the fact that the availability of technology in itself does not automatically guarantee its use in developing the political communication system in local communities.