AUDIENCE PERCEPTION AND OPINION FORMATION ON THE POTENCY OF PRINT MEDIA
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL
AUDIENCE PERCEPTION AND OPINION FORMATION ON THE POTENCY OF PRINT MEDIA
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Obasi, F. (2011) defines a newspaper house as an organisation that publishes newspapers on a regular and periodic basis. According to Section 2 of the Newspaper Act of 1958, a newspaper is defined as any paper containing public news intelligence or any remark, observation, or comment thereon printed for sale and published in Nigeria on a regular basis, in whole or in part, but does not include any newspaper published by the government or under its authority.
Essentially, newspapers are an important medium of communication. As a medium of communication, newspapers serve all of the classic communication roles listed below.
1. Education.
2. Information.
3. Entertainment.
These are not the only functions of a newspaper; they are also employed to promote the path of socio-cultural responsibilities. Some of these socio-cultural obligations include the preservation of national values, awareness campaigns, grassroots development mobilisation, and opinion expression through open editorials (OPED), among others.
Anaeto, S.G. (2009) describes newspapers as one of the most versatile and powerful tools for information delivery. This is because, with the introduction of newspapers, the diffusion of information and ideas has grown much faster, exposing a large number of diverse members of the public to the realities of everyday happenings.
Audience perception, on the other hand, refers to the concept of newspaper readers. How do readers feel about a certain newspaper? It is vital to note, however, that in order for any newspaper to perform well, it must first learn about and comprehend the tastes and preferences of its target audience.
This is generally significant since, aside from news items, which are constantly in high demand, other ideas such as features, columns, cartoons, and even editorials require a target audience to justify production acceptability.
It is also critical for a reputable newspaper to understand the size of its target audience in order to arrange its coverage effectively.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Every day, our newsstands are flooded with various types of publications. Various newspaper houses are also springing up in urban areas such as Lagos, Ibadan, and Ilorin, to name a few.
Furthermore, on a daily basis, our local towns are inundated with community news publications, resulting in an ever-increasing competition for circulation among the country’s educated citizens.
Readers take the layout, design, copy fitting, headline casting, news assessment, and news construction very seriously. Not only that, but a newspaper’s integrity in terms of news reporting, editorial writing, and attitude towards audience plights, as well as the general quality of the newspaper’s outlook, all play a role in shaping its audience perception.
However, if a newspaper’s editorial board fails to operate efficiently in these all-important elements of the newspaper, its audience will migrate to another newspaper that is perceived to be capable of meeting their demands, as outlined above.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY.
This study focusses on audience perception and opinion formation on the power of print media (a case study of Uromi in Essan North East L.G.A, Edo State), and it aims to explain audience perception on the content of newspapers.
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The goal of this study is to determine the public view of Nigerian print media in general, utilising the Nigerian Tribune as a case study.
Other research objectives are as follows:
1. Determine the audience’s favoured component of newspapering.
2. Determine the public’s favoured newspaper in Nigeria.
3. Determine whether there is a need to increase newspaper production in Nigeria, as well as the specific areas for improvement.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.
The research questions for this project are as follow:
1. How important are newspapers to the inhabitants of Uromi, Essan North East?
2. How much do Nigerian print media contribute to the sociopolitical and economic success of Uromi in Essan North East?
3. Do print media fulfil the journalistic purpose of disseminating information, educating people, and providing entertainment?
4. Do Nigerian newspapers perform the press’s social responsibility functions?
1.6 Significance of the Study
The value of print media can be observed in its various forms. Print media is portable and available at all times, including when there is no service or power. Many consumers prefer printed materials, such as newspapers and magazines, over digital equivalents.
It is visible and available, despite the fact that sharing digital media is faster and easier because accessing print media does not require any unique keywords or account information.
Print media is permanent; it cannot be removed. It is also regarded as professional, and this professionalism enables print media to attain legitimacy that digital media cannot match. In 2015, consumers trusted print media more than digital media.
Print media can be informative since it allows businesses to push sales onto potential clients in a variety of printed formats, such as brochures and colour sales leaflets.
Print media can also assist a firm create its image since long-lasting photos of the product or service it provides can improve the consumer’s impression of the product.
1.7 Definition of Terms
AUDIENCE PERCEPTION: In contrast, audience perception relates to the readers of newspapers.
NEWSPAPER: This is an unrestricted publication that is released on a regular basis, featuring a wide range of reading material and frequently enhanced with photographs.
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic