ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to determine the newspaper readership
pattern among students of Rivers State University. This arose because it was thought that the students
did not read newspapers and their use of other media was minimal.
Against
the background of seemingly lack of readership among the students. Questionnaires draw administered to ascertain
the extent of reading habit formed by this group.
The
students of Rivers State University were used as a focus.
They all experience similar
socio-economic dilemma. They also face
similar financial as well as education problems experienced in the nation. 250 respondents were sampled randomly and
data analyzed and presented as percentages in frequency distribution
tables. The work traced the reading
habit found among the students.
Researcher questions and hypothesis were used a guide for analysis and
conclusion respecting.
The
work reviewed other literature on the topic and found out what their results
were the conclusions down were based both on other related work of literature
and the results gathered from the questionnaire. The result showed that there were indeed
readership patterns among the newspaper readership pattern among students of
Rivers State University.
The showed
that students read newspaper and they also bought majority of respondents
bought or read. Result also showed that
students who bought were both more financially and academically favoured than
others that had lower reading habit. It
was also found out that sex was no barrier to who read and what was read. The female students read more than the male
student but they both read the same content in their favourite newspapers. Male students read entertainment news in
equal proportion with the female students.
There was also equal reading proportion in contents that have to do end
at the study, recommendations were made about activities that will help the
youth develop readership and use pattern for the newspaper and other
media.
TABLES OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Objective of study
1.4 Significance of Study
1.5 Research questions
1.6 Research Hypothesis
1.7 Definition of Terms
1.8 Assumptions
1.9 Limitation of study
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 Sources of literature
Review
2.2 Literature Review
2.3 Summary of Literature
Review
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Method
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Research sample
3.4 Measuring Instrument
3.5 Data Collection
3.6 Data Analysis
3.7 Expected Results
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
4.1 Data Analysis
4.2 Results
4.3 Discussion
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
5.2 Recommendation
5.3 Bibliography
5.4 Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Newspapers
are known for the provision of up-to-date information on local, state, national
and international events. Newspapers often contain current and interesting
information meant for the reading pleasure of the vast majority of readers of
all ages and walks of life. As an important print medium of mass communication,
newspapers provide the most current analysis, debate and criticism of
socio-political, economic, health and a host of other issues as information,
education and entertainment to the readers. The newspaper is, no doubt, one of
the most widely-read periodicals available and accessible to all on daily basis
in print and electronic versions.
As a
mass medium, newspapers are useful for education, information, recreation,
relaxation and entertainment. This explains why Ola and Ojo (2007) opine that
newspapers are important because they carry current information and they keep
the readers informed of events and happenings within and outside their
immediate environments. Okunna (1999) reinforces this position by asserting
that the newspaper is important in that it serves as a carrier of current
information or news.The Newspaper being one modified channel of information
dissemination present the element of research for this study. Newspaper with its vital role to the
development of man has undergone changes in both content and form as to satisfy
man’s consciousness in search of information.
It is worthy to mention that information massages in newspaper are
structural to the readership pattern of the cross section of the society.
The mechanics of communication which
include picture, cartoons and literate information become a remote but powerful
factor in creating on interesting pool
from which a semi-pattern consequently
emerges.
The
principle of communication applied in this work emphasizes only on the laws of
efficient communication, some of which are good grammer and syntax, appropriate
use of literary devices that are not etc.
The
above subject quickly recommends themselves to the intelligence quittance of
any readership. This form the determinant in newspaper
consciousness as it is well understood that over and above poriny at payees of
contents is fundamental to habit forming.
A highly literate as well as
versed section of the society can literally was the seemingly meaningless black
print into a fabric of pleasure b because of level of exposure to the element
of literary appreciation.
In the present work, the word
readership-pattern in understood as the cross section of the society that find time out of interest and habits to
indulge in the act of gathering information from newspapers. This understanding is only elementary as
further into the work readership assumes a wider scope. The present study will seek to comparatively
the subject matter from the background of more complex definition. In view of
this, readership among the youth in general and students of Rivers State
University in particular, presents a particular, phenomenon that arouses
interest.
More
serious emphasis is laid on habit orientated readership pattern- a pattern
which is sustaining. This is not to say
that this readership pattern influence positively than this demand and supply
curve. In fact both readership patterns
confine with a complex. And this is what
actually influences the demand and supply.
An
easily recognizable or predictable trend creates comparisons which are made to
create a model hypothesis that will help in decision making. Last but not the least, comparative are here
refers to relationship existing between under studied elements from the
background of stocktaking.
In
comparative presented in this work, comparison model have been created are got.
The
following are the comparison models employed in this work:
(a)
Sex
oriented comparison model.
(b)
Age
oriented comparison model
(c)
Finance
oriented comparison model
(d)
Education
oriented comparison model
(e)
Popular
trend oriented comparison model
(f)
Political
oriented comparison model
(g)
Religious
conviction oriented comparison model
A. SEX
ORINTED COMPARISON MODEL
There is no point in doubting the
fact the, gender goes a long way to determine emotional responses to news
content. It is in view of this that study
seeks to investigate the determining factors that make a particular sex to be
more or less responsive to male-female ration among the students readership
will be determine and critically studied.
B. AGE ORIENTED COMPARISON MODEL:
From an earlier assertion, the age
brackets have been defined
among which this study is to be undertaken namely.
16 to 26 years
to discover the more responsive age group among these brackets. A bird view of the problem anticipated under
this model is that hypothetically, the upper age bracket appears to be more
responsive for seasons that may be stated from the questionnaire whereas lower
group for other peculiar reasons hypothetically may be less responsive to
reading of newspapers.
C. FINANCE ORIENTED
COMPARISON MODEL
It is no
secret in economics that as people’s spending powers grow with their standard
at living; they can more easily afford to indulge in less “necessaries”. If will not be out place for a hungry man to
spend his last Nzo for a lunch than by buy a newspaper and go hungry. This becomes more acute with students who
always run budget-line.
D. EDUCATION
ORIENTED COMPARISM MODLE.
All things being equal, the more educated one is, the
easier it is
for him to appreciate as well as extracting information from
the newspaper hence one’s level of
education, in this case, the student goes a long way to determine and habit in
newspaper indulgence.
E. POPULAR TREND
ORIENTED COMARISON MODEL
This is a less
serious model as it is not sustaining.
Nevertheless, when its cycle come up, it can be quite impressive.
By trend, we
mean a particular response due to a bias in society. An example of trend could be seen in old
early country Newspaper pictures of the English gentry where it is fashionable
and popular to take snapshots with newspaper or folding.
E. POLITICS
ORIENTED COMPARISON MODEL
Nationalism
and patriotism can compel ardent readership from patriots as they prefer their
own local newspaper to better produced but foreign newspapers.
It is under
such a model that we see customer ship done to certain newspaper that advance
the cause of independence.
G. RELIGIOUS
CONVICTION ORIENTED MODEL
Under this
model, we find people who for one religious conviction or the other prefers
some kind of news content in a newspaper.
Which presence may persuade or dissuade them from doing custom to
newspaper publishers.
1.2
STATEMENT
OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Researcher is done to identify a problem. Hence the identification these problems gives
direction to research works in this case the problems that led us into research
are media
1.
Media
illiteracy as an impediment to Newspaper consumption among Students of Rivers
State University.
2.
Financial
difficulty that are facing students of Rivers State University which in turn
stand as an obstacle to Newspaper consumption.
1.3
The
problem associated with the reading habit among Students of Rivers State
University
1.4
OBJECTIVE
OF STUDY.
The aim embarking on this study was promoted by an
observation made by earlier researchers that the youths are generally not
information conscious and it is only the males among the youths, that try at
all to obtain information, specifically through the print media like
newspapers.
This
study wants to know if summaries and conclusions of other works are also
applicable to students with high level at educational exposure. The work wants to find out if the new
socio-economic status of the females, their new political awareness
orientations has affected their readership pattern.
It
also aims at finding out if it only the female youths that still read
entertainment and family based materials in newspaper or if the males have been
affected by changes in the society and why their sudden interest.
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE
OF STUDY
The result of this study will help editors editor of different
newspapers to know the demography of their audience. With the results obtained, they will know
what material to retain or remove from their news content.
The study will help to find
out the problems they youth grapple with, that have made them lose interest in
bunny and reading newspaper. It will
also help editors know how to reach out the young generation so as to create
good reading habit in them. The project
will help editors know how to reach out the young generation so as to create
good reading habit in them. The project
will help editors and publishers know the psychological disposition information
dissemination.
1.6
RESEARCH QUESTIONS.
1.
Do educational and financial positions affect newspaper
readership among students of Rivers State University.
2.
Do male students read more newspapers than female students of
Rivers State University?
3.
Do female students and more of entertainment news than male students
of Rivers State University?
4.
Does age affect newspaper readership among students of Rivers
State University?
1.7
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
1.
Hi Educational and Financial positions affect newspaper
readership among students of Rivers State University..
Ho: Education and financial position do not effect
newspaper readership among students of Rivers State University..
2.
H2: Male
students are more newspaper readers than male students of Rivers State
University.
Ho: Female
students are more newspaper readers than male students of Rivers State
University.
H3: Female
students read entertainment material than female students of Rivers State
University.
Ho: Male
students read entrainment material than female students of Rivers State
University.
H4: Age
as a factor affect newspaper readership among the students of Rivers State
University.
Ho: Age
as a factor is not affecting newspaper readership among the students of Rivers
State University.
Does age affect newspaper readership among the students
of Rivers State University.?
CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL
1.7 DEFINITION
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION OF TERMS:
PATTERN:A way,
in which something happens, moves, develops, or is arranged.
NEWSPAPER: A
part printed daily or weekly containing news material.
READERSHIP: the
number or type of readers of a Newspaper, magazine, etc or of a particular
writer
YOUTH: The
time when a person is young, especial the time before the child becomes an
adult.
SEX:This means
being male or female.
NEWSPAPER CONTENT: subject
matter in Newspaper.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
Newspaper:The printed dailies e.g punch, daily champion,
vanguard, sum etc
Pattern: The
level consumption (e.g daily, weekly, occasional etc.
Youth: Relating
to the age that consumed the newspaper, e.g 16-25, 25-30 year etc
Newspaper Content: These
are contained in the volume of news,
articles,
adverts, Arts, fashion, foreign news
etc
YOUTH: This word includes
children and young person of both sexes.
It also involves status classification of children and young adults.
SEX:This means differences
that exist between male and female. This
term as well means the sum total at characteristics, which distinguish male
from female.
NEWSPAPPER CONTENT: This means that
which is contained in the volume of a newspaper. The amount of substance of work a newspaper
can hold for example fashion etc.
1.8 ASSUMPTIONS
Male and Female students of Rivers State University., are literate. The students posses a similarity of
psychological as well as other dispositions with the rest of youths that live
in the country. Also they have equal
access to newspapers both financially and otherwise.
1.9 LIMITATIONS
OF STUDY
The
study would have taken in more students in Nigeria but due to time limitation a
well as high cost such project. The
study was limited to students of Rivers State University.
Again,
because of the population of the students in the campus, which run into thousand,
only 5% of his number was used as sample size.
A grater percentage should are been used but for reasons given above.