Examining Nairobi Internet Users’ Attitudes Towards Newspaper Paywalls in Kenya

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess internet users’ attitudes towards newspaper paywalls. The study had three specific objectives namely; to determine the level of awareness of newspaper paywalls among internet users, identify the factors affecting the uptake of newspaper paywalls among internet users, and; assess the attitude of internet users towards newspaper paywalls. The study used a descriptive survey research design, in which 158 randomly selected respondents, including non-media professionals, students, businessmen, and manual laborers to whom questionnaires were administered, participated. Data were collected, examined and checked for completeness and clarity, and logged in the computer and analyzed using SPSS. Percentile tables, pie charts, bar graphs and narrations adopted from interviews were used to present the findings. The study established that cost (data and subscription fee), content and leakage of personal data (privacy concerns) inhibit paywalls uptake in Kenya. This implies that the general attitude of internet users in Kenya towards newspaper paywalls is negative and do not approve of it, nor do they have the intention to pay for news. Most respondents had a reservation about the cost of subscription and data bundles (31.7 percent), while others (29.3 percent) maintained that the content behind paywalls is available elsewhere for free. The study finds that the attitude internet users accord to newspaper paywalls is negative for numerous reasons among them cost of data and subscription, lack of exclusivity of content, and complexity of paywalls among others. Media managers equally point to brand recognition, the exclusiveness of stories and even the superiority of journalists who publish such stories as among issues internet users are interested in, thus influencing attitudes. The study recommended that to experience success around paywalls, news media enterprises should pay attention to costs, and particularly the misuse of private data that they may collect from subscribers.