Magazine Reading Behavior Of Students In Tertiary Institutions In Anambra State

MAGAZINE READING BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN ANAMBRA STATE (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TECH UMUNZE

ABSTRACT

Magazine is an embodiment of detailed report, analysis and interpretation of events combined with literary and artistic works produced periodically for the generally born specific audience. Okumma, (1999,p.34) magazine as a print medium like the newspaper which is a bound periodically (not an everyday publication) that contains variety of content written by various contributions. On this platform therefore, this study looks at “magazine reading habits of students in tertiary institutions in Anambra state with Federal College of education (Tech) Umunze as the study area. The magazine emerged to satisfy their desire for education, information and entertainment as knowledge is always acquired everyday in the life of human being. The survey research method was deemed right in conducting the research. Out of a total population of 5000, a sample size of 400 was used and data was collected from respondent through the use of questionnaire. The copies of questionnaire were used as instrument to elicit or generate relevant responses from eh population of the study. At the end of the study, it was discovered that a good number of students at their early age of study could not distinguish between magazine and newspaper and in that loose interest in reading magazines. I will recommend that magazine owners’ practitioners should bridge this gap by ensuring that students devote more time on reading magazine through attractive and interest in the packaging.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1     INTRODUCTION

          Magazine is a type of printed publication. It is a periodical publication containing articles and illustrations often on a past and present events aimed and written for a particular readership.

Magazine are usually published weekly, monthly or bi-monthly. It is like the newspaper only that they are well and better packaged, bound together and contains in-depth and well researched news.

According to Nwosu (2005,p.13) Magazine like the newspaper is a popular read. It is ubiquitous, found in all nooks and crannies of any society. It is like the newspapers an institutionalized material which has created excitement and sadness.

According to Alozie (2009,p.102), magazine is a bound printed publication which contains news and other forms of information on a wide range of recent and past events.

Also, according to Owuamalam (2010,p.12) sees magazine as the collection of materials usually text and visuals compiled into a volume as a publication

The inquisitive nature of man has been the basic instinct that has driven him to grace for the intriques of life.

        To assuage the thirst for information, education and entertainment, the mass media, an institution channel with the responsibility of detailing the events, of the day in words sound and pictures came as a rescue.

        However, the audiences of this great institution (mass media) are known to be discriminatory, responsive and are also selective in choice and perception of mass media messages. They prefer a medium that can report, analyse and interpret events in a colourful package. No other medium can carry out this responsibility objectively and excellently except the magazine.

According to Okunna, (1999,p.34) explained that magazine as a print medium like the newspaper which is bound periodically (not an everyday publication) that contains variety of content written by various contributions.

Furthermore, Haulting and Nelson, (1992,p.100) described it as “A publication which serves as stored house for essays, stories, news, poems and other items to entertain and instruct readers.

Moreso,a magazine is an embodiment of detailed reports ,analysis and interpretation of events combined with literary and artistic works produced periodically for the generally born specific audience .

The audience reacts to the contents of the message presented . Different people utilize different media for different purposes or reasons. The selection of a particular media meswsage depends on expectation or importance of the media to the users value.

Many magazine publish special edition to reach those specialized audience. What may appear to be one nationally distributed magazine is actually several specialized publication under the same cover. For example, time magazine publication both demographic and regional editions. There are three types of magazine, trade, consumer magazine and business magazine. Trade magazine cater to different callings except professions. They discuss, pricings, where to get what product etc. they are principally concerned with merchandising on marketing operations. The circulation is to people involved in the trade for proper information and news. Retailers and distributerso could benefit from the contents.

Consumers magazine, involves very popular type of magazine, the general interest and special interest appeals. In Nigeria, both enjoy sizabale number of readership. The general interest editorial content cuts across a lot of key demographics zones, age, sex, profession, ethnicity etc. this is because the articles are broad affecting everybody in a special way. Also special interest magazine is more restricted and is directed to select people of both sexes an unspecified mature age group.

According to Nwosu (2005.p.21) Business magazine is a publication that is directed at an identified group with some peculiarity would run into the type of industry, business, professions, vacation or occupation. It is educative and should enhance mobility in either status intellectual or in profession after imbibing the subject of discourse.

Also there are variations of magazine based on the frequency of publication. These include weekly monthly and quarterly magazine. The radiation of magazine is one thing, the attitude of the generality of the people towards them is another thing. People tend ot read one type of magazine or the other. This different in choice can be attributed to their different contents, gender, age, educational level, profession and economic status.

While some people red stories relating to national and international news like economy, spors, political, editorial etc, others are interested in reading entertainment materials like cartoon, feminine issues in terms of fashion and cookery as well as crime, accidents and disaster. It is realization of the indispensable and invaluable rote, which the magazine play in keeping the society alive that a loss of question to mind. What constitutes an impediment to the reading or what influences their reading behaviour of these magazine.

Weber and Flaming (1989,pp.142-150)  had conducted a lot o studies on magazine reading behaviour. Their studies have come to prove that male have more positive attitude towards reading of magazine than the female. A major reason for the overall steady growth of magazines has been their ability to adapt with remarkable efficiency to the changing media behaviour of readers and the unpredicatable changes in the economy. In the light of this awareness, the study reflects its search light on “Reading behaviour of students in Institution of Higher Learning in Anambra States (A case study of Federal College of Education (Tech) Umunze.