| dc.description.abstract | Development in technology has transformed the way newspapers have traditionally been
produced, distributed and read. In Kenya, technological improvements have seen an enhanced
access to online newspapers besides the printed copies that traditionally existed.
This study sought to establish the extent to which presentation of content in the print newspaper
compares with that of the online version. It focused on the differences between the content of the
hard copy newspaper and that of the online platform. The research set out to determine how
content was displayed and primed in the print newspaper as compared to the online version.
This research focused on the ‘Daily Nation’ newspaper in Kenya where the researcher studied
the dailies for both the online and print platforms for two weeks between the dates 16th June
2014 to 30th June 2014. The study employed the qualitative research approach where data was
generated by way of comparative analysis of the print and online versions of newspapers. The
researcher compared the two versions of newspapers under three major parameters: content,
display and prominence.
The study was guided by the Media Dependency Theory and the Functional Theory of Media
and Society, which were very vital in highlighting the issues surrounding media audiences and
their media of choice.
The research found the online newspaper lacking in a number of features that were evident in the
print newspaper. It concluded that the online newspaper was different from the print newspaper
in terms of content provision. The researcher therefore recommended that the online newspaper
needs to be enhanced to provide more and detailed information to match that of the print
newspaper. There also need for the online newspaper to be uploaded in time with a specific focus
on accuracy of the dates when the news is presented. | en_US |
