Newspaper Consumption in Print and Online: Printed Newspapers is Status and Online is Easiness

Abstract

Online newspapers are becoming increasingly popular and may pose a threat to the traditional print newspaper market. To investigate this market, this study aims to assess how motivational variables (i.e., human values and social axioms) and affective and rational judgments comparatively influence the use of print and online newspapers. Therefore, we have applied the Consumer Cultural Influence Model (CCIM) to this subject. Our research investigates print and online newspaper usage in two different ways. One is exploratory designed to identify newspaper attributes through 11 interviews, and the other uses an online survey (N=498) to evaluate the relationships between the model’s constructs. The analyses conducted using structural equation modeling, demonstrate that the usage for each type of newspaper is different. Print newspapers involve affective judgment and the establishing of an emotional attachment to the product for those who have a preference for print newspapers. In terms of online newspapers, the relationship is rational for those who prefer online newspapers. The originality of this research has to do with its examination of the perspective of the newspaper consumer, and its identification of opposing idiosyncrasies associated with these differing preferences. It also applies comparative models to this market, dealing not only with newspaper attributes, but also subjective aspects linked to newspaper consumption.