Messaging Media Perceptions and Preferences: An Exploratory Study

Although a significant amount of research has focused on traditional media choice and use and even on some of the “new” media, these studies have neglected Instant Messaging (IM) and Short Messaging Service (SMS). This study offers a novel exploration of students’ perceptions of and preferences for two new messaging media (IM and SMS) in the context of the use of other traditional and new communication media (face-to-face, telephone, and email) in their university learning activities. The findings reveal media richness is rated in decreasing order of face-to-face, telephone, IM, email and SMS. Face-to-face is the most preferred medium in most communication activities. Students preferred email in a manner similar to the telephone. This study has identified the importance of media experience, familiarity and frequency of use, when selecting media. The overall findings of this study support media richness theory