Newspaper Readership and Academic Performance: A Survey of IMT Enugu Students and the Role of Print Media in Enhancing Communication Skills

The decline in newspaper readership among Nigerian undergraduates has generated concern among communication scholars regarding the potential erosion of critical reading, writing, and analytical competencies among the emerging workforce. This study examined the relationship between newspaper readership habits and academic performance among students of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. The study adopted the Media Dependency Theory as its theoretical anchor, arguing that students who depend on newspapers as information sources are likely to develop stronger academic communication skills compared to those who rely solely on digital alternatives. A survey research design was employed with a population of 2,800 students drawn from the Department of Mass Communication and affiliated humanities departments. A sample of 338 respondents was selected through systematic random sampling, and a structured questionnaire was administered to elicit data on readership frequency, preferred newspaper types, and self-assessed academic performance. Findings indicated that only 23 percent of respondents read newspapers at least three times per week, while 61 percent preferred social media news feeds. However, among regular newspaper readers, significantly higher scores in essay writing, news reporting, and editorial analysis assignments were recorded. The study concluded that newspaper readership positively correlates with academic communication performance, though access constraints and cost barriers significantly limit regular readership among IMT students. It was recommended that the institution establish a subsidised newspaper reading programme and integrate print media literacy into the Mass Communication curriculum.
Keywords: newspaper readership, academic performance, print media, IMT Enugu, media dependency