Use of Newspapers and Magazines by the Faculty Members of First Grade Colleges of Chikmagalur: A Comparative Study

Shiva Kumara AS^1* and Dharani Kumar P^{2* *}Correspondence: Shiva Kumara AS, Department of Library and Information Science, Government First Grade College, University of Shimoga, Koppa-577126, Chikmagalure Dist, Karanataka State, India, Email: Dharani Kumar P, Department of Library and Information Science, Kuvempu University Jnana Shyadri, Shankaragatta-577451, Karnataka State, India, Email:

Author info »

Introduction

The more society is developed the more means of communication are required. The mass media are the most pervasive features of modern life. As a means of communication, newspapers and magazines are playing a vital role by providing information about the recent issues, events or happenings locally, nationally and internationally. These are contributing a great deal to the development of our knowledge. Through valuable and subtle critical and commentary articles, these are throwing a light on socio-economic issues of the current society. Reading of newspaper is a habituated and it manipulates readers to discover and go into the store house of knowledge on every day basis (Majumder & Hasan, 2013). The practice of reading, a newspaper has been associated with improvement in students’ attitudes toward reading overall. Newspapers and magazines provide information for academic purpose also. In academic pursuit, the availability and use of accurate and current information may determine success or failure (Njeze, 2013). The present study is written to establish the effects of newspapers and magazines in an academic pursuit of faculty members of first grade colleges of Chikmagalur.

Review of Literature

A number of relevant studies have been made previously on use of newspapers and magazines, some of the related studies on newspapers and magazines reading habits are reviewed as under;

Akanda, and Haque, conducteud a study on Newspaper Reading Habits of University Graduate Students in Bangladesh. It is found that 48.67% respondents spent 1-2 hours per day reading newspaper, 130 (11.85%) respondents read newspaper to obtain information (Akanda & Haque, 2013).

Bankole and Babalola studied the use of newspapers by students of Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria. It is revealed that majority of the students prefer libraries to read newspapers.

Sivankutty and Sudhakaran investigated on the use of online newspapers among librarians in India. It is revealed that majority of the respondents opine that online newspapers can be accessed anywhere and anytime. The study also revealed that librarians are aware of the developments that happen around them. The survey confirmed that the online edition of the Times of India is the preferred newspaper site (Sivankutty & Sudhakaran, 2011).

Mishra conducted a study on reading habits of senior secondary students at Ujjain city. It is revealed that majority (46.78%) of respondents reading newspaper to get information and as many as 52.38% of respondents are time spend for reading. It is also found those majority i.e 88.79% of respondents were read daily English newspaper and 68.79 per cent of students (Mishra, 2014).

Nagashetti & Kenchakkanavar in their study, News Paper Reading Habits Among the Students of Municipal Arts and Commerce College, Laxmeshwar, found that majority of students (55.09%) preferred Kannada language newspapers. Majority of respondents preferred to read Prajavani (52.77%) and Vijayavani (50.46%) newspapers. Majority of respondents read newspapers for current awareness (52.33%) and education purpose (43.05%) (Nagashetti & Kenchakkanavar, 2015).

Objectives of the study

The main objectives of the study are:

• To investigate the level of reading habits of newspaper and magazines among the respondents.

• To examine that time spent by the respondents in reading newspaper and magazine.

• To identify the preference of language in reading newspaper and magazines.

• To assess the purpose of using newspaper and magazines in reading habits.

• To identify the sections and benefits of reading newspaper.

Methodology

Survey method was adopted to collect the primary data from the faculty members of first gradecolleges of Chikmagalur. A well-structured questionnaire was designed to collect the information. A total of 286 questionnaires were distributed among the respondents, out of which 261 filled in questionnaires were received back with the response rate was 91.26%. The questionnaires were personally distributed and collected by the Investigator.

Results and Discussion

Data analysis and interpretation

The collected data is analyzed and interpreted with reference to the objectives of the study. A simple statistical method are used to analyze the data and presented in the form of tables in the following sections.

A total of 286 questionnaires were distributed among the respondents i.e. faculty members of the six first grade colleges of Chikmagalur, of which, 261 filled in questionnaires were received back consisting of 91.26% responses. The above Table depicts that, 37 (92.50%) questionnaires have been received from the respondents of Adichunchanagiri Institute of Business Management, Chikmagalur (AIBM), followed by 24 (92.31%) from M.E.S.M.S.P.S. Womens College, Chikmagaluru (MESMSPSWC), 23 (92.00%) from St. Joseph’s First Grade College, Chikmagalur (SJFGC). 113 (9.87%) questionnaires were received from I.D.S.G. Government, First Grade College, Chikmagalur (IDSGGFC). 40 (90.91%) from M.I.M.S. First Grade College, Chikamagalur (MIMSFGC) and 24 (85.71%) questionnaires were received from the faculty members of S.T.J. Womens First Grade Arts, Commerce & Home Science College, Chikmagalur (STJWFGC) (Table 1).

Table 1: Distribution of Questionnaires

Table 2 explores that, more than one-third of the respondents i.e. 100 (33.31%) visit the library almost daily, followed by 81 (31.03%) visit twice a week, 41 (15.71%) once a week; about 26 (9.96%) visit the library once a fortnight and only 10 (3.83%) and 3 (1.15%) respondents are found to be visiting the library once a month and occasionally respectively. Thus, the data shows that, on an average, majority of the respondents visit the library daily (Table 2).

Table 2: Frequency of visits to the College Library

The above Table 3 reveals that, out of 261 respondents, 174 (66.67%) faculty members make use of newspapers often. As far as frequency of reading magazines is concern majority i.e. 178 (68.20%) respondents opine that they are making use of magazines sometimes. Whereas only 05 (1.92%) and 12 (4.60%) respondents said that they never use newspapers and magazines respectively. Further it is observed that about 81 (71.68%) respondents of IDSGGFC making use of newspapers often and 15 (40.54%) respondents of AIBM making use of magazines often (Table 3).

Table 3: Frequency of Reading Newspaper and Magazines

It is evident from the Table 4 that majority of the respondents i.e. 105 (41.02%) read two newspapers daily. About 93 (36.33%) respondents read more than two newspapers (Table 4). As far as use of magazines are concerns, majority (41.77%) of respondents read one magazine and only 70 (28.11%) respondents read more than two magazines (Laureta, 2009).

Table 4: Number of Newspapers and Magazines Read Daily

Table 5 reveals that majority of the respondents i.e. 146 (57.03%) and 163 (65.46%) obtain newspaper and magazines from college library frequently. about 97 (37.89%) respondents obtain newspaper from their home (Table 5). A few (5.08%) and (5.62%) respondents are using public library to read newspapers and magazines frequently.

Table 5: Sources of Obtaining Newspaper and Magazines

The Table 6 explores that majority of the respondents i.e. 237 (92.58%) prefer Kannada newspaper to read, and 144 (56.25%) respondents read newspaper in English (Table 6). As far as Kannada daily is concern it is found that all respondents (1000%) of MIMSFGC read daily.

Table 6: Preference of Language in Reading Newspapers

As far as preference of language in reading magazines is concern, through the above Table 7, it is found that majority i.e 231 (92.77%) respondents prefer Kannada magazines to read, and 122 (49.00%) respondents read English magazines depicted in Table 7.

Table 7: Preference of Language in Reading Magazines

The above Table 8 explores that majority i.e. 175(68.36%) respondents read Prajavani newspaper daily, followed by 166 (64.84%) read Vijayavani, 78 (30.47%) read Vijaya Karnataka newspaper daily (Table 8). Least number of respondents i.e. 52 (20.31%) read Kannada Prabha, about 25 (9.77%) read Samyuktha Karnataka, 18 (7.03%) and 07(2.73%) respondents read Udayavani and Vishwavani newspaper daily respectively.

Table 8: Newspaper Preference in Kannada Language

As far as newspaper preference in English language is concern, more than half of the respondents i.e. 162 (63.28%) read The Hindu daily. As many as 78 (30.47%) respondents read Deccan Herald. Least number of respondents i.e.35 (13.67%) and 30 (11.72%) read Times of India and Indian Express respectively (Table 9).

Table 9: Newspaper Preference in English Language

The above Table 10 explains that the most consulted Kannada magazine by the respondents of all colleges is Karmaveera (61.45%). This is followed by 88 (35.34%) prefer to read Sudha, 55 (22.09%) respondents use Mayura magazine. About 29 (11.65%) respondents read Grihashobha, 20 (8.03%) of respondents read Kasturi and least number of the respondents i.e. 09 (3.61%) and 08 (3.21%) read Roopatara and O Manase magazines respectively (Table 10).

Table 10: Magazines Preference in Kannada Language

The Table 11 shows magazines preference in English language, it reveals that majority of the respondents (40.16%) read Competition Success Review English magazine (Table 11). This is followed by 58 (23.29%) read India Today, 55 (22.09%) read TIME and 52 (20.88%) read Business Today magazine. Least number of the respondents i.e. 46 (18.47%), 12 (4.82%) respondents read The Week and Filmfare magazines respectively.

Table 11: Magazines Preference in English Language

In order to know the frequently read sections of the newspaper by the respondents, multiple responses were allowed and the Table 12 explains that majority of the respondents i.e. 211 (82.42%) prefer to read newspapers for sensational news (Table 12). This is followed by 114 (44.53%) education, 120 (46.88%) politics, 119 (46.48%) editorial page. As many as 86 (33.59%) respondents read newspaper for sports news. The lowest portion i.e. 10 (3.91%) of the respondents prefer to read spiritual.

Table 12: Interested Area in Newspaper

Newspapers are a fundamental source of information in enlightened society; providing the most recent information to readers. Newspapers serve various purpose for different categories of users (Bankole & babaloa, 2011). The respondents were asked about the purpose of reading newspaper. It is clear from the Table 13 that majority of the respondents i.e. 144(56.25%) read newspaper to improve general knowledge and remaining 112 (43.75%) respondents opine that they read newspaper for educational information depicted in Table 13.

Table 13: Relevance of information consulted in newspapers

Findings and Conclusion

The present study explored the use of newspaper and magazines by the faculty members of first grade colleges of Chikmagalur.

• It is found that majority of the respondents i.e. 100 (33.31%) visit the library almost daily, 174 (66.67%) faculty members make use of newspapers often, whereas 178 (68.20%) respondents opine that they are making use of magazines sometimes.

• Majority of the respondents i.e. 105 (41.02%) read two newspapers daily and about 104(41.77%) of respondents read one magazine. As many as 146 (57.03%) and 163 (65.46%) respondents obtain newspaper and magazines from college library frequently.

• 237 (92.58%) respondents prefer Kannada newspaper to read and 231 (92.77%) respondents prefer Kannada magazines to read. Majority i.e. 175(68.36%) respondents read Prajavani newspaper daily.

• It is also found that majority (61.45%) of the respondents of all the colleges consult Karmaveera Kannada magazine and 100(40.16%) respondents read Competition Success Review English magazine.

• About 211 (82.42%) respondents prefer to read newspapers for sensational news and 114 (44.53%) for education. Majority of the respondents i.e. 144(56.25%) read newspaper to improve general knowledge.

• Many researches have conducted various studies in regard to know the advantages of newspapers and magazines in the classroom communication. The benefits of reading newspapers and magazines are numerous, but above all they make teaching and learning more exciting and fun.

References

1. Akanda, A. K. M. E. A, and Md Armanul Haque. "Newspaper reading habits of university graduate students in Bangladesh: A case study." International Journal of Research in Applied, Natural and Social Sciences (IMPACT: IJRANSS) 1.3 (2013): 1-8.

   [Google Scholar]

2. Bankole, O. M., and S. O. Babalola. "Use of newspapers by students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria." Library of philosophy and practice (e-journal) 1.1 (2011).

   [Google Scholar]

3. Laureta, V. "Benefits of Using Newspapers, Magazines and Books in Classrooms." LCPJ Publishing. (2009): 2018.

   [Google Scholar]

4. Majumder, Dipika, and Md Mehedi Hasan. "Newspaper reading habits of private university students: A case study on World University of Bangladesh." IOSR Journal of business and management 12.1 (2013): 87-91.

   [Google Scholar]

5. Mishra, S. "Reading habits of senior secondary students at Ujjain City, MP (India)." IOSR Journal of Research and Method in Education 4.3 (2014): 29-33.

   [Google Scholar]

6. Nagashetti, IDr VN, and Y. Kenchakkanavar. "Newspaper reading habits among the students of muncipal arts and commerce college, laxmeshwar: A sociological perspective." Hindu 49 (2015): 22-68.

   [Google Scholar]

7. Njeze, Miracle Eka. "Use of newspapers and magazines in the academic pursuits of university students: Case study of Covenant University." Library philosophy and practice 845 (2013): 467-478.

   [Google Scholar]

8. Sivankutty, V. S., and Jinu Sudhakaran. "The use of online newspapers among librarians in India." Library Hi Tech News (2011).

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]