ELEKTRONIESE POS AS REKENAARBEMIDDELDE KOMMUNIKASIE

Abstract

Electronic mail as computer mediated communication: new research possibilities in Communication Science. Electronic mail refers to the transfer of one·way electronic messages from one person via an intennediate electronic communication system to one or more identrtied receivers pn many cases via computer linked networks such as Internet.] Electronic mail is one form of computer-mediated communication. It has become one of the most powerful and useful ways of sending and processing information in the era of the Information Super Highway. Electronic mail is not interpersonal communication because of it 's aSinchronic nature but there area number of similarities between these modes of communication. Furthennore is the demassification nature of the new medium not comparable to traditional mass communication systems. Users of electronic mail does not regard themselves as part of a faceless mass of people being bombarded with numerous messages because they exercise some control over messages received. Electronic mail will have a profound influence on interpersonal as well as mass communication In future. Information on a large variety of matters will be available to selected receivers on request and this phenomenon will decrease the dependency of some people of the mass media. Control over the free flow of information is a thorny ethical issue in the light of the current availability of pornographic material via Internet. Computer mediated communication seems to open new posibilities in fhe fields of education and development and Communication Science researchers should take note of these opportunities to reach disadvantaged people. Research in the field of computer mediated communication has just started in South Africa and require the attention of social and natural scientists alike to ensure that the country will not be reduced to the status of a hitch hiker on the Information Super Highway. This article examines the state of the art in electronic mail research from a communication science perspective and theoretical explanantions that could be used to study this "new medium".