Abstract
This study is an assessment of factors influencing news consumption on the internet by undergraduate students in Public Universities in Nigeria. The study looks the amount of time spent consuming news on the internet, the type of news consumed, medium of news consumption on the internet by undergraduate students in Nigerian Universities. Also accessed are the challenges of news consumption on the internet by undergraduate students in Nigerian Universities. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) by Venkatesh et al (2003) was adapted in this study, while the quantitative and qualitative research approach with survey design as the strategy of inquiry. Respondents for the study were selected from four similar faculties in two Universities in Lagos State using the convenience and accidental sampling technique. Findings from the study revealed that a large proportion of the students that participated in the study consume news on the internet several times in a day. The study also revealed that the mobile phone is the most popular device used to access and consume news on the internet by the students. Entertainment news was found to be most popular type of news consumed, while Facebook is the most popular platform used for news consumption by these students. Poor quality of internet connection was highlighted as the challenge to news consumption on the internet by the students. All the four UTAUT constructs were found to positively influence the student’s intention to consume news on the internet and the actual use of the internet for news consumption. The study concludes that amount of time spent consuming news on the internet among undergraduate students of public Universities in Nigeria is above average, internet connection is however still a major challenge for the students. Hence it is recommended that Government and internet service providers work together to improve the quality and coverage of internet connection and also review current internet subscription rates and provide more affordable rates.
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