Abstract

There has been a proliferation of online newspapers over recent years. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, some quality problems remain. Based on a two-factor model of hygiene and motivator factors, this paper examines quality for online newspapers giving attention to differences across gender, age, and computer skill level. Hygiene factors are essential requirements whose absence causes dissatisfaction, while motivators are desirable elements that add value and increase user satisfaction. This paper presents findings from an empirical study of 84 web users. Results show that hygiene factors for our respondents were Timeliness, Content Attractiveness, Content Coverage, Usefulness, and Navigation, while motivators were Writing Style, Layout, Archives, Services, Interactivity, and use of Multimedia. Four factors were borderline: Journalism Ethics, Ease of Use, Front Page & Headlines, and Locating Information. However, the research reveals some differences in perception of factors across gender, age, and computer skill levels, and further research is recommended to investigate these further.

Download

Share

COinS