The Effects of Using Satellite (TV) on Cultural Identity in Iranian Kurdistan (A Case Study: Kurdish Students of Sanandaj Universities)

This Paper deals with the relation between using satellite Tv's and Kurdish cultural identity among the Kurd students of Sanandaj City. Theoretically, it has employed a synthetic approach based on the Castells and Giddens views on the effects and consequences of media for identity. The quantitative – survey methodology was used and the questionnaire was employed for data collection. The sample size was determined by Cochran method upon which 378 samples were studied. Findings of the research showed that about 46.5 of respondents have used satellite media. Satellite use was measured in terms of hours and based on the three types of usage, including News, entertainment, and Education. Then, its relationship with eight components of cultural identity, both individual and the whole, was examined. Hypothesis testing revealed that there is a significant relationship between the amount of using satellite and the content used (particularly, News, entertainment Contents), and cultural identity:: the more use of satellite, the less adherence to cultural identity, which in turn is indicative of tendencies toward new behavior patterns. It also showed that adherence to cultural identity among respondents tends towards the partial – adaptive position.