Newspaper Readership Pattern Among Traders in Major Markets in Uyo Metropolis
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study were to:
- to find the frequency of newspaper readership among traders in Uyo markets;
- to ascertain the extent to which traders engage in newspaper readership in Uyo metropolis;
- to examine what is of interest in newspapers to traders in Uyo metropolis;
- to find out the influence of newspaper readership on the successes of business men and women
- ascertain the uses and gratification of newspaper among traders in Uyo markets.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter discussed the various literatures that are related to the study under the following sub heads;
Review of Concepts
Review of Opinions
Review of Studies
Theoretical Framework
Review of Concept
Readership
Reading is the art of learning something. Newspaper is the store house of knowledge and provides knowledge of different kinds of segments of the society. Newspaper creates reading habits and easily differentiates people who read and who do not. It helps to improve communication skill. Reading fires the imagination of the person. Systematic and regular reading sharpens the intellect, refines the emotions, elevates tastes and provides perspectives for one’s living and thereby prepares a person for and effective participation in the social, religious, cultural and political life. Reading is the identification of the symbols and the association of appropriate meaning with them. It requires identification and comprehension. Comprehension skills help the leaner to understand the meaning of words in isolation and in context.
Effective reading is the most important avenue of effective learning. Newspapers are periodicals with informative, educative, entertaining and cultural promoting messages. They are usually daily publications, although earlier publications appeared fortnightly in Nigeria. MacDougall and Reid (cited in Ogbiten, 2007), see the newspaper as an institution developed by modern civilization to inform and lead public opinion and to furnish that check upon government which no constitution has been able to provide. Groth (cited in Salawu (2004) developed a set of standard that modern scholars generally hold as acceptable criteria for determining a true newspaper. Groth’s first standard was that a newspaper must be published periodically at intervals, not less than once a week. Second, mechanical reproduction must be employed. Third, anyone who can pay the price must have access to the publication. In other words, it must be available to everyone, not just a chosen few. No organization can have an exclusive right to read or obtain the publication. Fourth, it must vary in content and include everything of public interest to everyone, not merely to small selected groups. Finally, publication must be timely with some continuity of organization. Groth’s set of standard, and in particular, access to publication is no doubt a fore ground for readership; for one must have access to a publication before one can read such. The concept of readership is central to newspaper. Readership is an abstract concept which captures the act of reading. The concept, though difficult to define, is usually associated with newspapers, magazines an all kinds of periodicals.
Thus, readership is the number or type of people who read a particular newspaper, magazine (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 2010). Patrick & Melchizedec (2014), see readership as the part of the general public interested in a source of information or entertainment. This perspective of Patrick et al, does somewhat veer away from reading of particular printed periodicals by a number or type of people. The Audience Dialogue website defines readership as “the number of readers of a newspaper, magazine, etc which can only be assessed by a survey” (Audience Dialogue, 26th June 2006). Bottle PR, a UK based agency established in 2004, defines readership as” a general term that refers to the number of people reading a particular publication, including both the individual who purchased the publication and others who have read it (Bottle PR, 8th February 2011). The Huntsville Time website (2011) defines readership as “the number of adults (18+) in a specified geographic area who “read or looked into the publication yesterday” (cited in Obaid, 2013). Ogbiten (2007) avers that to most people, reading newspaper has become a habit and to some not. For them, the newspaper is both for the eyes and ears. They believe whatever and anything they read as the gospel truth. He further avers that the belief in newspaper is so strong that they do not question anything that they read in the papers. Obviously, the cardinal operational principles of accuracy, truthfulness and balance news reporting might have informed such a belief in newspaper. With the blackmailing type of news reporting, inaccurate news dissemination that is observable in some of the dailies, the belief may gradually be eroding; even though readers still find the newspaper useful in one area or the other about an interpretation of public affairs. Newspaper content are seen as tools for daily living for example, (i)advertising (ii) radio and movie listening and announcements for births, deaths and weddings, (iii) for relaxation and escape, (iv) for prestige (newspaper content is raw material for conversation), (v) for social content (from human interest stories and advice columns).Studies have lent credence to the findings of Olofin (2012) in his work titled Newspaper Readership in the Civil Service: Case Study of Ekiti State Civil Servants, found out that civil servants read newspapers for the purpose of information, education and entertainment. In a similar vein, Kakembo (2012) in his work titled “Edutainment and the Social Media in the Contemporary African Context: Critique and Application of Communication theories”, found out that youth make use of the mass media for enhancement of personal relationship and companionship; identification; the need for surveillance (information); relaxation, escape and diversion and the need for privacy.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The chapter discussed the methodology used in the study under the following subheads;
(i) Research technique
(ii) Population of the study
(iii) Sample size and sampling technique
(iv)Description of the research instrument
(v) Validity of the instrument
(vi) Method of data collection and
(vii) Method of data analysis
Research Technique
Research technique is a laid down guide for the researcher, with which he/she structures his study scientifically or systematically. Therefore, the research technique that was used for this study is the survey method. Surveys are excellent vehicles for measuring attitudes and orientations in a large population (Babbie,2013). The survey method was used owing to the nature of the study which requires that the researcher solicits for audience response on newspaper readership among the traders in Uyo major markets.
Population of the Study
The term population is the total number of people occupying a well defined territory. The population of this study comprised all the traders in markets in Uyo metropolis. There is no formal statistics or official document on the total number of traders in major markets in Uyo, and as such the working population of this study was the population of Uyo according to National Population Commission (NPC). The population of Uyo is estimated to be 413,381 as at 2017; therefore, the population of this study was 413,381.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The study examined newspaper readership pattern in major market in Uyo metropolis in the bit to actualize this, the following research questions were answered by the researcher;
- What is the frequency of newspaper readership among traders in Uyo markets?
- To what extent do traders in Uyo metropolis engage in newspaper readership?
- What is of interest in newspaper to traders in Uyo metropolis?
- What is the influence of newspaper readership on the successes of businessmen and women?
- What are the uses and gratification of newspaper among traders in Uyo metropolis?
Research Question One: What is the frequency of newspaper readership among traders in Uyo markets?
The result to research question showed that the traders read newspaper, but this was carried out on monthly bases, that they read only one newspaper in a week, and the newspaper that they read most was the pioneer newspaper. Also the traders in the major markets believe that reading newspaper is very important and necessary in their life. Therefore in the work of Ogbiten (2007) avers that to most people, reading newspaper has become a habit and to some not. For them, the newspaper is both for the eyes and ears. They believe whatever and anything they read as the gospel truth. Therefore, newspaper readership among traders was not done frequently rather it was done monthly, as shown in table & 2.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary of Findings
This research study was carried out to assess the newspaper readership pattern of traders in major markets in Uyo metropolis. The study was under taken to:
- to find the frequency of newspaper readership among traders in Uyo markets;
- to ascertain the extent to which traders engage in newspaper readership in Uyo metropolis;
- . to examine what is of interest in newspapers to traders in Uyo metropolis;
- to find out the influence of newspaper readership on the successes of business men and women
- ascertain the uses and gratification of newspaper among traders in Uyo markets.
Therefore, the research technique for the study was a survey research technique, while the population of the study was at 413,381 residents of Uyo metropolis, the study sample size was 384 selected purposively, but the data analysed was 364 respondents, this was so because 5% of the instrument was not returned, the data analyzed were presented in tabular format using frequency and simple percentage method. the instrument for data collection was a self structured questionnaire by the researcher. Based on the findings the study was summarized as follows;
- That traders in the markets read newspaper but it is not a daily routine rather their readership span monthly
- That the extent of newspaper readership among the traders in the market are done seldomly and are not carried out daily.
- That what interest the traders to reading newspaper is the business ideas and the political activities in the state and country..
- That the knowledge that they have acquired in the course of reading the newspaper which has influenced them is advertising their products ,their goods and services this will create awareness about their business
- That the uses and the gratification they had in reading the newspaper is that the newspaper informed them about the things that is happening around them,the information also help them to improve the way that they treated their customers
Conclusion
From the findings, it was seen that the traders in the markets read newspaper but it is not a daily routine rather their readership span monthly, also the extent of newspaper readership among the traders in the market are done seldomly and are not carried out daily.
That what is of interest to the traders is the business ideas and the business opportunity that they can get and also to be abreast with the current political issues trending in the state and the country.
Findings also showed that, the knowledge that they have acquired in the course of reading the newspaper which has influenced them is advertising their products, their goods and services this will create awareness about their business. Finally the uses and the gratification they derived from reading the newspaper is that the newspaper informed them about the things that is happening around them, the information also help them to improve the way that they treats their customers..
Recommendations
Based on the findings of this research, the researcher recommends as follows:
- The traders should endeavour to make it a habit by reading newspaper daily so that they can have daily information on the things that are happening.
- Information is the life wire of the society, traders in the market should not only be interested in business news but also other news that can improve their lives.
- The government should create awareness and also enlightened the traders on the need for them to embrace a reading culture and that they should see life beyond business.
Suggestion for further Study
It was therefore recommended that further study should be carried out on the newspaper readership pattern among youths in Uyo metropolis.
REFERENCES
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- Babbie, E.(2013). The practice of social research. Australia: Wadsworth Centage Learning.
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