A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF READERSHIP OF PRINT NEWSPAPERS AND ONLINE NEWSPAPERS IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Scholars and students of Mass Communication have always had the feeling that the advent of the Online Newspapers would undermine the readership population of the traditional Print Newspapers. Therefore, this study has comparatively analysed the readership pattern of both the print and online newspapers among Nigerians, with concentration on newspaper readers in Jos, the Plateau State capital, who were both males and females within the age bracket of 18years and above, cutting across Civil Servants, Media Professionals, Lecturers of Mass Communication, Students of Mass Communication and Public Relations Practitioners. Two hundred (200) copies of questionnaire were administered among these groups in the University of Jos, NTA Television College, Jos, Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin-Ladi, Jos Campus and civil servants in Jos where only 159 were returned. The research was based on the Uses and Gratification Theory, propounded by Katz in 1974. This means that media consumers use a particular media product based on the benefit they could derive therein.
The study found out that in spite of the threat posed by Online Newspapers to Print Newspapers, people still read the print editions. The study discovered that even though a good number of people read more of Online Newspapers, others in almost the same number also read the Print Newspapers. It also found out that the print newspaper would not go into extinction because of the threat posed by the Online Newspapers, by way of readership and revenue profile.
The study is concerned more with readership pattern of both the Print Newspapers and Online Newspapers. Therefore, this study recommends that Print Newspaper publishers should exploit brands by promoting their online and print products as well as share editorial staff and other resources among these two products. Apart from this, they need to invest in a relationship with their readers and advertisers. They