Print newspaper circulation declines as the online versions are available for free. This study determines the extent of readership preferences for both print and online newspapers in northwestern Nigeria. Daily Trust, being the largest circulating newspaper in the study area was selected for case study. The study employed quantitative approach, in which descriptive survey method was used to gather and analyze data from print and newspaper readers in the study area. Structured questionnaire was used as data-gathering instrument. The questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 330 newspaper readers using simple random sampling. The findings revealed a moderate (Mean=3.38) readers’ preference for the online version of the newspaper to its print counterpart. Further analysis of the findings revealed that majority of the readers (Mean=3.49) find themselves reading less print copy of the newspaper because they have access to the free online versions. Majority of the readers (mean=3.37) will continue to read the print version despite the availability of its free online counterpart. Also, majority of the readers (Mean=3.08) spend less time reading the print copy of the newspaper due to the availability of its online versions. Meanwhile, majority of the readers (Mean=3.51) are confident that the newspaper will continue to survive despite the availability of its free online versions.
Aliagan, I. Z. (2011). Newspaper readership pattern in Ilorin. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Reasearch in Business, 3(5), 451-456.
Allen M., Titsworth, S., & Hunt S. K. (2009). Quantitative Research in Communication. California: SAGE Publications, Inc.
AMDI (African Media Development Initiative) Report (2006). African Media Initiative: Nigeria Context. Available at: africanmediainitiative.org/file/2013-07-22-amdi-report-nigeria
Anderson J. A. (2012). Media Research Method: Understanding Metric and Interpretive Approaches (1st ed.). London: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Chan K. and Fang W. (2007). Use of Internet and Traditional Media among Young People. Young Consumers, 8 (4) 244-256.
Chari T. (2009). The Future of the Printed Newspaper in the Context of the Internet in Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe. University of Venda, South Africa (online) Available at:
De Waal, E., Schonbach, K., & Lauf, E. (2005). Online Newspapers: A Substitute or Compliment for Print Newspapers and Other Information Channels? The European Journal of Communication Research, 1 (30) 55-72.
Ekhareafor D. O., Asemah, E. S., & Edegoh, L. O. N. (2013). The Challenges of newspaper in Information and Communication Technology Age: The Nigerian Situation. British Journal of Arts and Social Science, 13 (1) 22-38.
Everett C. E. (2011). Transformation of Newspapers in the Technology Era. The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, 2 (2) 102.
Findahl O. (2008). The Diffusion of the Internet and the Effects on Traditional Media: The case of Sweden and Nordic Countries. Paper Presented to Nordic Media in Theory and Practice, London.
Ihlstrom C. and J. Lundberg, (2012). The Audience of Swedish Local Online Newspapers: A Longitudinal Study in Technology Interactions. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Electronic Publishing, held in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, 92-102.
Internet World Stats (2017). Internet Users Statistics for Africa. Retrieved from: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm
Kang, C. Y. (2009). Communication Technologies: Diffusion of Online News Use and Credibility among Young Web Users in the Information Age. (Unpublished Masters’ thesis). University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Kothari C. R. (2004). Research Methodology Method and Techniques. New Delhi: New Age International.
Lucena A. A. (2011). The Print Newspaper in Information Age. Journal of Proceedings of the Media Ecology Association, 12 (1): 53-74.
Mathew J., Ogedebe P. M., & Adeniji, S. B. (2013). Online Newspaper Readership in North Eastern Nigeria. Asian Journal of Social Science and Humanities, 12 (2).
Nguyen A. and M. Western (2006). The Complimentary Relationship between the Internet and Traditional Mass Media: The Case of Online News Information. Information Research, 11 (3).
Okonofua A. G. (2012). Readership of Online Newspaers by Users of select Cyber Cafes in Uyo Urban. Paper presented at the Pre-Conference of International Federation of Library Association, Mikkeli, Finland.
Okoro N. and C. T. Diri, (2012). The Challenges of Online Newspaper Phenomenon to Offline Newspaper Patronage and Revenue in Nigeria (online) Available: www.academicexcellencesociety.com/journals.html
Olusoji O. A. (2012). Newspaper Readership in the Civil Service: Case Study of Ekiti State Civil Servant. Online Journal of African Affairs, 1 (1): 4-9. Retrieved from:
wjec.ru.ac.za/index.php?option=com_rubberdoc&view=doc
Patel A. (2010). The Survival of Newspaper in Digital Age of Communication. Thesis, New York University, New York.
Potter J. W. (2012). Media Effects (1st ed.). London: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Sajjad, Z. (2013). A study on Latest Trends in E-newspapers and E-news Services in the Electronic Era. International Journal of Marketing, Financial Services and Management Research, 2 (2): 120-132.
Salman A., Ibrahim, F., Yusof, H. A. M., Mustaffa, N. & Mahbob M. H. (2011). The Impact of New Media on Traditional Mainstream Media. The Innovation Journal, 16 (3): 7.
Salawu A. (2004). A Readership Survey of Yoruba Newspaper for Development Messages. Journal For Social Science, 8 (3): 197-202.
Santana A. D., Livingstone, R., & Cho, Y. (2011). Medium Matters: Newspapers’ Recall and Engagement with Print and Online newspapers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting for the Association of Education on Journalism and Mass Communication. St. Louis, MO
Smith J. E. (2005). Content Differences between Print and Online Newspapers. Master’s Thesis, University of South Florida, USA
Thurman N. (2014). Newspaper Consumption in the Digital Age: Measuring Multi-channel Audience Attention and Brand Popularity. Digital Journalism, 2 (2): 156-178.
Hassan, I., & Azmi, M. N. L. (2018). Readers’ Preferences for Print and Online Newspapers in Northwestern Nigeria. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(6), 868-876.
Copyright: © 2018 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
