IMPACT OF ONLINE NEWS ON THE READERSHIP OF HARDCOPY NEWSPAPER

CHAPETR ONE

1.0   INTRODUCTION 

1.1        Background of the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Research Hypotheses

1.5        Significance of the study

1.6        Scope and limitation of the study

1.7       Definition of terms

1.8       Organization of the study

CHAPETR TWO

2.0   LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPETR THREE

3.0        Research methodology

3.1    sources of data collection

3.3        Population of the study

3.4        Sampling and sampling distribution

3.5        Validation of research instrument

3.6        Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introductions

4.2 Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary

5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendation

Appendix

 Abstract

This study is on impact of online news on the readership of hardcopy newspaper. The total population for the study is 200 staff of punch newspaper in Lagos state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made editors, marketers, senior staff and junior officers were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The marriage between the newspaper industry and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has made many, if not all, national newspapers in Nigeria to have online versions (Mbachu, 2003). It is believed that their readership is high as Adedina, Adeniyi and Bolaji (2008) aver that more people read online versions of a newspaper than its hard copy in Nigeria. What these indicate is that online newspapers are viable sources of information in our present day Nigeria. The dictum: “Information is power” suggests that information enhances human development. Human development, according to Anorue, Obayi, and Onyebuchi (2012), is a state of human well being that enables people to gain control of their environments. They point out that the sharing of information among humans through communication is a crucial component of the relationship with the human environment for development purposes. Readership of online newspapers is an information sourcing and sharing activity. The phenomenon of online newspapers is believed to have greatly enhanced information sourcing and sharing activities in several ways. A number of benefits accrue to online newspapers in their information sharing efforts. Online newspapers provide easy, widespread, and timely access to information; allow for interactivity among information users; and enable users to store, share and retrieve their content quickly and easily (Ijeh, 2008; McQuail, 2007). This suggests that people who read online newspapers and use the information provided to gain control of their environment in different ramifications have the likelihood to attain human development than people who do not. In other words, it may be assumed that readership of online newspapers can contribute to human development in Nigeria. News online provides the opportunity to develop a whole new way to present journalism, and Jan Schaffer (2001) of the Pew Center for Civic Journalism suggested that this be done with a “much more interactive toolbox.” Interactivity is one of the things that give the Internet value as a medium. Newspapers can provide in-depth stories, and television gives pictures and sounds. When providers offer these elements online, users often confront technological limitations. These technical obstacles may be overcome in a few years, but Web journalism still should be able to offer something more, something unique now. If interactivity is the Internet’s outstanding characteristic (Morris, 2001), it seems that online journalism should be taking advantage of it with stories that engage the reader and with tools such as e-mail links to journalists and officials, documents available to view, databases, and hyperlinks. Newspapers have a tradition of seeking, gathering, processing, and producing news in a one-way daily delivery, but the Internet can give users the ability to make the reporting process more transparent if site visitors can see, hear, or read the sources reporters relied on. In order to get to a point where sites make full use of the online functions that make the Web unique, Lowrey (1999) said both journalists and users must develop new schemas for processing news online instead of viewing it as a modified version of print journalism. This is an opportunity for newspapers to move past shovel ware content pushed directly from the print product to a Web page and convert stories into forms that make them worthwhile for the online user. Online journalists have no template for accomplishing that goal, however. Greer and Mensing (2004) make an excellent point: “Newspapers are still working to find interactive elements that function well in an online news environment” (p. 109). Finding an online model that is valuable to users and cost-effective for newspapers will not happen overnight, but it is important in producing print and online media that continue to be viable.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The phenomenon of online newspapering in Nigeria has reached a stage where it can no longer be ignored. Consequently, a number of scholars have examined different aspects of the phenomenon. Oyero (2007) discusses how online newspapers have blurred the distinctions between newspaper as a read-alone medium and the broadcast media that can be listened to and/or watched. Adedina et al (2008) emphasize the prospects and challenges of online newspapers along-side other media of mass communication that explore the Internet to disseminate their contents. The implications of the statistics given Nigeria as a nation are experiencing a digital drift which has posed a challenge for the print media sales. In response to such problems, the researcher wants

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study are;

1. To ascertain the information technology literacy levels amongst newspaper readers
2. To assess the effects of online media on the sales of print media (hard copy newspaper)
3. To ascertain the relationship between online news paper and hardcopy newspaper

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀: there are no information technology literacy levels amongst newspaper readers.

H₁: there are information technology literacy levels amongst newspaper readers.

H₀²: there are no effects of online media on the sales of print media (hard copy newspaper)

H₂: there are effects of online media on the sales of print media (hard copy newspaper)

1.5 SIGNIFICACNCE OF THE STUDY

The study is to give clear insight on impact of online news on the readership of hardcopy newspaper. The study will be beneficial to news paper readers, news Paper Company and the general public. The study will help to show the impact between online news paper and hardcopy newspaper. The study will be of reference to others researcher that will embark on this topic.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers impact of online news on the readership of hardcopy newspaper. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

ONLINE NEWS PAPER: An online newspaper is the online version of a newspaper, either as a stand-alone publication or as the online version of a printed periodical. Going online created more opportunities for newspapers, such as competing with broadcast journalism in presenting breaking news in a timelier manner.

READERSHIP: The readers of a newspaper, magazine, or book regarded collectively.

HARDCOPY NEWSPAPER: Hard copy. On the other hand, physical objects such as magnetic tapes diskettes, or non-printed punched paper tapes are not defined as hard copy by 1037C. A file which can be viewed on a screen without printing it out is sometimes called a soft copy.

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study

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