Utilization of Gulf Newspapers for Augmented Reality Technologies (QR Codes and Marker Image): An Analytical Study of the Newspapers

Def Allah Aloseimi, Maram

doi:10.21608/jkom.2024.360785

Utilization of Gulf Newspapers for Augmented Reality Technologies (QR Codes and Marker Image): An Analytical Study of the Newspapers "Al-Jazirah" & "Al-Ayam"

Author

Maram Def Allah Aloseimi

Department of Communication, King Saud University, KSA

10.21608/jkom.2024.360785

Abstract

This study examines the utilization of the Saudi newspaper "Al-Jazirah" and the Bahraini newspaper "Al-Ayam" in employing Augmented Reality technologies (QR Codes and Marker Image) in their published content, including (editorial, advertising, images, and illustrations). It aims to monitor mechanisms of incorporating Augmented Reality in both "Al-Jazirah" and "Al-Ayam" which are among the leading newspapers that have adopted Augmented Reality in the Gulf region within their published materials.
In this light, the study seeks to monitor the volume of published materials in which Augmented Reality technologies have been used. Additionally, it aims to understand the nature of the materials in which the technology was employed, the type of technology used, as well as detect the types of topics and journalistic forms that Augmented Reality was used with.
To achieve the objectives of the study, the current study employed the survey method and content analysis tool. The analytical study was applied to a total of (88) journalistic articles. The study timeframe from the date of (17/3/2013) to (24/2/2014), is for (12) months.

The analytical study concluded that the volume of materials enriched by Augmented Reality technologies in Gulf newspapers totaled (1795) articles. The newspaper "Al-Ayam" received a higher percentage of the total sample comprising (59.7%), while the "Al-Jazirah" newspaper received a lower percentage, comprising (40.3% .(The Gulf newspapers benefit from employing Augmented Reality technologies, using both (Marker Image and QR Codes). Gulf newspapers also show consensus in the hierarchy of employing these technologies. The majority of augmented materials primarily leverage the Marker Image technology, with a utilization ratio of (55.8%). In contrast, the combined use of both technologies simultaneously is lower, with a utilization ratio of (9.3%). However, the newspaper "Al-Ayam" generally benefits from Augmented Reality technologies and uses both technologies simultaneously to a greater extent. Meanwhile, it is rare for the "Al-Jazirah" newspaper to employ both technologies together, collective utilization ratio not exceeding (1%).
The study argued that Gulf newspapers employ Augmented Reality technologies in the (editorial, advertising, images, and illustrations) content. However, their focus is particularly on enriching editorial content, with a boost ratio of (75%). The hierarchy of interest in using the technology varies (advertising materials, news images, and illustrations), for example, the "Al-Jazirah" newspaper shows more interest in advertising materials, while the "Al-Ayam" newspaper is more focused on news images. Moreover, the published materials, including (editorial, advertising, news images, and illustrations), have benefited from Augmented Reality technologies in general. However, each type of published material tends to benefit more from a specific type of technology.
The Gulf newspapers enhance various journalistic forms, including (news, reports, investigations, journalistic articles, and interviews). Each of these forms is in line with a specific technology. News articles, followed by journalistic reports, investigative, and interviews, all primarily benefit from Marker Image technology. Meanwhile, journalistic articles are greatly enriched with QR Codes technology. At the same time, a greater focus on enriching journalistic forms was observed with news articles, reports, and investigative journalism, collectively reaching (79.5%(. The various journalistic forms have benefited from the employment of Augmented Reality technologies used in Gulf newspapers. Each form of journalistic appears to benefit from the use of a specific type of Augmented Reality technology. Both (Marker Image and QR Codes) technologies have the potential to be employed in all journalistic forms (news, reports, investigative, interviews, and journalistic articles). However, the degree of utilization or benefit varies depending on the journalistic form.

Keywords

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