Effects Of Graphics On Audience Patronage Of Punch Newspaper Among Residents Of Port Harcourt Metropolis

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The print media industry is a very competitive market where there are varieties of print materials (Newspapers, Tabloids, Bulletins, Magazine, Handbills, Tracts etc.). Therefore, the print industry, especially the newspaper industry, uses graphics as a prominent instrument to draw the attention of readers to their paper, especially when placed on the front page. This however leads the customers to the purchase of that paper. This mean that graphic communicate message than a thousand words. 

More so, in this present dispensation, the role graphics is playing in the overall appearance of a newspaper cannot be underestimated. Research has shown that newspapers deploy graphics as a tool to lure readers into purchasing their various newspapers, which has drawn emphasis to newspaper design and front page make-up. With reference to Oluwatobi (2012), graphics is a visual element on surfaces such as wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, stone etc. to brand, inform, illustrate and entertain. He however posited further to give examples, such as graphics, line, color, diagram, graphs, symbols, maps, drawings, callout and flowcharts.  

Graphics, as parts of graphic aids, help at a glance to trap the attention of readers. If a photo is interesting enough, the reader will stop to look at it and read the caption and if it is interesting enough, they will move a little bit to read the headlines of the article. Also, if the beginning of the article is catching enough the reader will read all of it. (Febisola, 2010, p.49) More emphasis is being placed on newspaper design and graphics than ever before. Most Nigerian newspapers have made changes in the appearance of their paper in the hopes of attracting more readers and holding on to the ones they already have. While research on publication design has been conducted for quite some time, more research is being done on the importance of graphics to the survival of newspapers’ growth. Before now, emphasis was placed on reporting major stories of the day and getting them first and right. This first hand reportage has been what newspaper publishers use to attract the readers to the paper as a means to increase declining readership and circulation Hartley (1990).  

With emphasis on graphics, Hartley, (1990) argued that more emphasis is being paid to newspaper design more specifically, making the front page look good, to increase reader satisfaction and circulation. More so that the newspaper industry is a very competitive sector. Graphic design is the art or profession of combining text, pictures, and ideas in advertisements, publication, or website. Wikipedia (2015) defined graphic design as a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. However, designers work with a variety of graphic tools in order to convey a message. The main tools are image and typography while others are shapes, colors, lines, symbols, logo, cartoons and images.With emphasis on graphics, Hartley, (1990) argued that more emphasis is being paid to newspaper design more specifically, making the front page look good, to increase reader satisfaction and circulation. More so that the newspaper industry is a very competitive sector. Graphic design is the art or profession of combining text, pictures, and ideas in advertisements, publication, or website. Wikipedia (2015) defined graphic design as a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. However, designers work with a variety of graphic tools in order to convey a message. The main tools are image and typography while others are shapes, colors, lines, symbols, logo, cartoons and images.