1.0 Introduction
Editorial has been variously described as the opinion of a newspaper. It portrays its greatness, undying soul and conscience.
According to Uwakwe (2010:245), Editorial is the official opinion of a newspaper published on a regular page set aside for it.
Again, an editorial brings to the fore the degree of importance that should be attached to an issue. In order words, editorials are used to set agenda for public discussion. They are used to direct interest and attention to an issue hitherto not regarded as topical. Herein then lies the social responsibility, learning and agenda setting focus of the media at informing the public and directing attention to relevant issues.
On account of this therefore, Spencer (1924:16) defined editorial as “A presentation of fact and opinion in concise logical pleasing order for the sake of entertaining or influencing opinion, or interpreting significant news in such a way that its importance to the average reader will be clear. “ Others have also described editorial as the opinion of a newspaper as seen by the editor and explicitly expressed on burning issues within the society or community in which the medium operates.
1.1 Background of Study
Although a newspaper is hardly ever known as views paper, it is remarkable how often a newspaper is known not for its news, but for its views. While news is sacred and opinion that evidently counts. News frequently is transient but views of opinion have the aura of certain permanence about them. It is in attempt to separate news from news that newspaper creates editorial columns as against the news columns.
Editorials help to form and nurture public opinion, according to a scholar F.U. NWANZE, “Editorials have legs and can run, it has wings and can fly”. A good editorial can incite action; inspire deeds, sub vent legislature and other unpopular government decision(s). it has four fold responsibilities: To teach, attack, defend and to praise.
In contemporary society, newspaper society, newspaper business and editorials are becoming more vital and are widely read more than some other article in the entire newspaper. In most cases, it is primarily the reader who pays the closest attention to editorial contents and who are most likely to be influenced by them.
Editorials have an enormous influence on the decision making process and community leaders are aware of it.
However, the reverse is the case among Nigerian students. It has been observed that students pay low attention to editorial matters. When a newspaper is been given to student, he or she will first glance at the first page, leaving out editorials and other articles in the inside pages or he may merely scan them through. This should not be so, since editorials are based on tropical subject in which renders (most especially students) are involved in one way or the other.
It therefore become imperative that an enquiry be made on why there is poor readership rate of editorials among Nigerian Students and offers a recommendation on how to beef-up the readership or diffuse the apathy. This is what the project sets out to explore. Again, even though there is a tendency for magazine, radio or television to editorialize, it is not likely that they would equal the newspaper in the impact in the forcible future. This is why our interest in this study is on newspaper editorial as against others.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Editorial pages rank comparatively poor in any survey of readership of newspapers and progarmmes devoted to editorial. Opinions are close to the bottom in radio and television audience measurement.
Also, it is not easy to determine the quantity of those who read the editorial pages and listen to editorial programmes.
This project, therefore, is an attempt to explore and expose the reason why there is poor readership of editorials among Nigerian students and proper recommendation on how to enhance readership.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of poor readership of editorial among Nigerian students. This study will on completion suggest to editors on how to diffuse the apathy.
1.4 Research Questions
- Do education and financial position affect editorial readership among youths /students.
- Do male students read more editorials on sports and polities than female students.
- Do female students read more of economy and other editorials than male students.
- Does age affect editorial readership among Nigerian students.
1.5 Significance of the Study
Youths /students are the leaders of tomorrow and it has been established that editorials have profound influence on leadership and on decision making process as well. Therefore, this study will aid students amend their ways towards editorials readership for the better since editorials are usually on very controversial issues and on topics that will provoke one comment or the other from the citizen at large, the future leaders (student) should not be left our uniformed or without opinion since editorials are meant for serious minded people with ambition and zeal. On the part of the media, this study will enable them diffuse apathy towards editorials from readers and help them monitor the choice of topics and contents of editorials they publish.
1.6 Limitations of Study
The study would have taken more students/youths in Nigeria but due to time limitation as well as high cost of such project, the study was limited to youths (students) of institutes of Management and Technology Enugu. Again, because of the population of the students in the campus, which run into thousands only 5% of its number was used as sample size. A greater percentage could have been used but for reasons given above.
1.7 Scope of Study
The scope of the readership of editorials among the students of institute of Management and Technology, Enugu. It will cover regular and evening students of functional department of the school. However, the study will not cover poly air, preliminary students, staff and polytechnic public.
1.8 Definition of Terms
- Editorial: Opinion of a newspaper on any issue of importance.
- Newspaper: Printed medium of communication.
- Public Opinion: Views of public on issues of the moment.
- Readership: Number of people who read a printed material.
- HND: Higher National Diploma.
- ND: National Diploma.
- Regular students: Full time Students.
- Poly-Air Students: Students that study away from the main campus. A form of distance learning.
- Preliminary Students: Students that are preliminary and are yet to be admitted as bonafide students of the polytechnic.
- Youth: The time when a person is young, especially the time before the child becomes at adult.
- Project: A research work in a concept or particular subject.
- Study: Another term for project.