Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
3-2020
Document Type
Article
Citation
Apuke, O.D & Omar, B. (2020). Newspaper readership pattern among Nigerian university students: perspectives from mass communication students.Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal).
Abstract
Reading newspaper informs readers’ as well as enhance the readers’ literacy skills. Therefore, the newspaper serves as a tool for learning, especially among communication students. However, newspaper readership among students in Nigeria has been an issue of concern. This study investigated newspaper readership among Mass Communication students in the Taraba State University, Jalingo. The research design adopted was a descriptive survey, population frame was 630 Mass Communication Students of Taraba State University, Jalingo registered in 2018/2019 session while the sample size was 242 selected via a stratified random method. It was discovered that there is low newspaper readership among the students. The student preferred general interest newspapers particularly Daily Trust and the Sun Newspapers. The manners in which the students access newspapers were majorly through borrowing and vendor stand-free-reading. The study also revealed that politics and sport are the major subjects of interest which the students often seek from newspaper while the problems militating against the newspaper readership among the students include lack of money, prevalence of online newspaper and poor supply of newspaper in the University library and the Department. Nigerian Universities should provide newspapers in the University library daily and create a newspaper hub or stand within the department of mass communication to enable students to access newspapers.