Factors influencing selection of newspapers: the case of Tanzanian Readers and Editors

Tanzanians have witnessed a good number of newspapers established over many years. Readers have greater options on which newspapers to buy depending on their tastes and preferences. This study examined the key factors that influence readers in the selection of newspapers. A cross sectional survey of readers in Dar es Salaam was conducted using multi stage area sampling. Editors of 20 daily and weekly newspapers were also interviewed. The results indicate that readers differ in their preferences for factors when selecting newspapers to purchase. Such factors include national/ local news, political news, sports news, fiction, etc. Also the study found the importance levels of factors influencing readers to buy newspapers were not equally spread among readers. The degree preference for factors differs by gender, age and income group. Having studied the literature on this subject, this research has revealed a gap in the knowledge which these findings have sought to fill. It is therefore recommended to different stakeholders in the newspaper business to take into account all the factors that have featured most in influencing readers when making a decision to buy a newspaper.