ASSESSMENT OF AUDIENCE AWARENESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND PATRONAGE OF ONLINE NEWS

ASSESSMENT OF AUDIENCE AWARENESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND PATRONAGE OF ONLINE NEWS

Abstract
The aim of the research work is to assess audience awareness, accessibility and patronage of online news. Reading from online newspaper is on the increase as technology is more advanced to the extent that students can access news online using their personal computer, Smartphone, GPRS mobile phone, tablet computer and others. Survey research method was adopted coupled with 150 copies of questionnaires. Also, frequency and percentage method of data analysis was used to analyse data. From the findings, it is clear that soon there will be less hard copy of newspapers in circulation as more readers now prefer online news to hardcopy. It is evident that larger percentage of the respondents visit online for news regularly. It is recommended that print media should be more diversified in this era of media convergence while communication, mass communication, journalism and media disciplines should make online or digital journalism part of their curriculum.

ASSESSMENT OF AUDIENCE AWARENESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND PATRONAGE OF ONLINE NEWS