Use of Facebook by A Science Political Party: A Uses and Gratification Study of Agham Partylist in the Philippines
Keywords:
political communication, uses and gratifications theory, political party, content analysis, development issues, science and technologyAbstract
This case study determined how the use of Facebook community page gratified the communication needs of the AGHAM Party list members and Facebook followers. Content analyzed were the 645 postings in the AGHAM Facebook Like Page by both AGHAM and its online followers from March 17, 2010 to December 29, 2012. Other data were gathered using key informant interviews and participant observation by joining the AGHAM Facebook group. The research was guided by the Uses and Gratification Theory (Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch, 1974) and Kim (2000) hierarchy of needs in online communities. The needs gratified were (in
order): filling in time (entertainment) (16%); social empathy (integration) (12%); emotional release (entertainment) (10%); self-esteem (10%); conversation and social interaction (integration) (8%); self-actualization (8%); and finding out relevant events and conditions (information) (8%). Results were contrary to the researcher’s expectations that the Facebook would be used more for seeking science-related or development information.
