DETERMINANTS OF ONLINE NEWSPAPER READERSHIP IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS

Abstract

People tend to depend more on the media that meet an appreciable number of their needs than those that touch on only a few of their needs.” Okenwa (2002) submits that “current scholarship presents more complex interaction between the media and the society, with the media generating information from a network of relations and influences, coupled with individual interpretations and evaluations of the information provided.” A multitude of factors such as political, economic, geographical including cultural influences make the media, to operate properly not how news worthy events are perceived and which are reported at all (Ahuja 1997; Lin 1998; Emenyonu 1998; Okenwa, 2002). Okenwa (2002) further amplifies says that; “it is through the persuasiveness of the mass media such as television, radio and the press that messages reach their target audiences. These media have been largely responsible for structuring people’s daily lives and routines.” So why do people turn to the media? What motivates their interest? What needs do they want to gratify them? how do their needs impact on their preference for certain media contents?