Assessment of Mass Media Preference among Academics in Federal Universities in South- East Nigeria: A Yardstick for Effective Media Planning

The purpose of this research was to ascertain what medium academics in Federal Universities in South East, Nigeria, prefer most. It was also aimed at assessing which medium gave the academics gratifications. In addition, the work was to determine the content that would be of primary interest to the academics in their media of choice. The survey method was adopted in carrying out the study. Some of the major findings were: that academics in the South East Nigeria spent the longest time on the book form for research purposes; Academics in the South East have a preference for The Sun newspaper, Tell magazine, Radio Nigeria, and the CNN; Facebook is the social network of choice, but a significant number (26%) are not on any social medium; Apart from use of books for research, the content of greatest appeal to academics in the other media is political issues. Academics derive the highest gratification for academic work in books. The following recommendations were made: Media planners with a message for academics in the South East should consider using The Sun newspaper, Tell magazine, Radio Nigeria and the NTA as the CNN may be unaffordable; Advertisers with products and services for academics in South East Nigeria should take their campaign to The Sun newspaper, Tell magazine, Radio Nigeria and the NTA; Advertisers and other media planners wanting to reach academics in South East, Nigeria should sponsor political programmes in the print and electronic media mentioned or simply place their messages adjacent to such programmes