Motivations for using the mobile phone for mass communications and entertainment

This study draws on the uses and gratifications framework to examine expanded use of a hybrid medium—the mobile phone—for mass communications and entertainment. Results of a telephone survey of 208 users show different motivations predict diverse uses of the mobile phone. Instrumental use motives drive the use of the mobile phone for news-seeking and Web-surfing. Further, the motive of pass time is significantly linked to playing video games via the mobile phone. In addition, the high-tech mobile phone enabled users to be more active: the more intensively people use mobile phones for voice calls, the more likely they will be to use mobile data services. Thus, the hybrid mobile phone bridges interpersonal and mass communication. Finally, younger users are more likely to use mobile phones for getting news and entertainment. Implications for the industry and recommendations for future research are discussed.