THE COMMUNICATOR AND THE FACTORS INFLUENCING HIS JOB IN UNIVERSITY PRESS

A survey study of the managers of administrative departments of public relations and media at Iraqi Universities

Abstract

The research problem lies in the lack of accurate scientific perceptions concerning the reality of the communicator and the factors influencing his job. The research is aimed at introducing the communicator in the university press, clarifying the obstacles facing him, and uncovering the level of his job satisfaction and his visions of developing his work.

The researcher adopted the survey method in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data using a questionnaire.

 A set of results and conclusions has been reached, most importantly are:

*The communicator performs multiple missions including writing, editing, and collecting information, in spite of the job description is assigned to him by the newspaper. In turn, this is reflected negatively on his productivity taking into account performing missions outside of his basic job in media, besides performing academic missions as for those holding post-graduate degrees. 

*The communicator does not have the freedom to determine the design and content of his newspaper due to several factors from which are (senior management of the foundation), (targeted audience), and (costs of the newspaper production).

*The success of the communicator can be achieved by continuous administrative support to his communicative skills which reflect his persuasive abilities, and it is the credibility derived from his expertise and self-confidence that can make him influence his audience.

*Poor attention given by senior management to the newspaper and scarcity of material and moral incentives has mostly affected the job of the communicator negatively combined with the presence of obstacles topped by insufficient specialized staff and scarcity of training and development especially outside of the country.

*A decline in job satisfaction and audience satisfaction has been found due to the communicator needs being unmet, and scarcity of material and moral incentives.