ABSTRACT
New forces are threatening to alter, perhaps permanently, the information landscape. These forces are being released by the seemingly irresistible growth of the Internet. Plainly the Internet poses many strategic and searching questions, and the answers too many of them will massively affect people, products and companies in the information industry. Expressed simply, the aim of the research project was to examine very closely and comprehensively the impact of the Internet on a strategic information community to whom it appeared to be of immense significance. The Internet is an all-singing, all-dancing information system. For the purposes of this study it was only the information seeking behaviour connected with it that was of interest, although this term was interpreted to include communication behaviour as well. Managers, journalists, online hosts, systems staff, information providers and information professionals practising in the media industry were the people questioned.
