Impact of school values on mass media preference and usage: a study of a private university in North Central, Nigeria

The study investigates whether and how a university’s core values influence students’ mass media preferences and their purposes for using media. Set against the backdrop of pervasive media convergence and the increasing dominance of digital media, prior research links intensive social media use to mixed academic outcomes, but few studies consider institutional values as a shaping factor. In a private Christian missionary university context in North Central Nigeria, where core values (Spirituality, Capacity building, Possibility mentality, Diligence, Responsibility, Integrity, Sacrifice) guide campus life, the research aims to test whether these values affect media preference (choice of medium) and usage purposes. The work is important for understanding how organizational culture may function as an agent of control or guidance over student media behavior, with implications for academic performance and student well-being.

Prior studies highlight that media engagement patterns influence learning and behavior. Research reports both positive and negative academic impacts of social networking site use among students, with some evidence of negative associations between media use and GPA (Jacobsen & Forste, 2011; Harrath & Alobaidy, 2018; Sharma & Behl, 2022). Reading habits among students often rely on textbooks and lecture notes, with low voluntary reading of fiction and non-required materials (Issa et al., 2012; Owusu-Acheaw & Larson, 2014; Palani, 2012). Media use is also linked to social well-being outcomes and media multitasking effects (Pea et al., 2012). Studies in related contexts suggest institutional values may shape access and exposure to media (Arisukwu et al., 2022) and that the manifestation of school core values can influence media exposure (Balanza & Tindowen, 2019). Theoretical grounding is provided by Media System Dependency Theory (Ball-Rokeach & DeFleur, 1976), which posits a mutual dependency among media, audiences, and social systems, with dependence influenced by availability of media alternatives and the social functions a medium serves. This framework supports examining how a value-driven university environment may constrain or channel media preferences and uses.

Design: Triangulating mixed-methods research design combining a structured survey and in-depth interviews (IDIs). Setting: Landmark University, a private Christian institution in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria, affiliated with Living Faith Church Worldwide, operating under seven core values (Spirituality, Capacity building, Possibility mentality, Diligence, Responsibility, Integrity, Sacrifice). All undergraduates reside on campus and adhere to defined campus routines. Sampling and participants: Stratified random sampling across colleges for the survey; total N=390 students (undergraduate and postgraduate). Sample size guided by Watson (2001) for populations ≥3000 (target ≥388). Five IDIs conducted using convenience sampling. Data collection: Survey questionnaires captured demographics, perceived influence of school values, preferred media medium, and purposes of media use. Five IDIs explored nuanced perceptions of value influence and media behavior. Data analysis: Quantitative data analyzed using SPSS v22 with descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and inferential tests (chi-square) to assess relationships between school values and media preference/use. Qualitative IDIs were inductively content analyzed. Ethics: Exempted from formal ethics approval; informed consent obtained; confidentiality maintained.

- Respondent profile (N=390): Age 16–20 years 58.2%; 21–30 years 39.0%. Male 58.2%, Female 41.8%. - Influence of specific school values: Capacity building was most cited (21.5%); 52.3% reported no influence from any core value. - Perceived influence on preference and use: 52.3% disagreed that school values influence their media preference or usage; 47.7% agreed (Tables 3 and 5). - Preferred medium: Internet 89.2%, Television 4.1%, Newspaper/Magazine (print) 3.8%, Radio 2.8% (Table 4), indicating a sharp decline in traditional media, especially print. - Purpose of media use: 78.7% selected multiple purposes (entertainment, research, connection), with single-purpose shares: connect with family/friends 11.3%, entertainment 5.4%, research 4.6% (Table 6). - Chi-square tests: • School values vs. media preference: χ²=5.527, df=3, P=0.137 (Table 7). Authors interpret as indicating a relationship, suggesting school values act as agents of control over media preference. • School values vs. purpose of media use: χ²=13.944, df=3, P=0.003 (Table 8). Authors conclude no relationship between school values and purposes for media use. - Qualitative insights: Students, especially postgraduates and those off-campus, perceive limited imposition of school values on their media choices; autonomy and availability (notably campus internet access) drive preference for internet. Students describe the internet as central to academic and social life and a coping mechanism. - Overall: Decline in print readership; internet dominance; mixed perceptions of value influence; institutional environment may constrain available media but individuals retain autonomy in usage purposes.

Findings address the research question by showing that in a value-driven university environment, institutional values may shape media preference indirectly by constraining availability or signaling approved media, aligning with media system dependency theory’s emphasis on availability and system–audience interdependence. The internet’s dominance as preferred medium (89.2%) reflects accessibility and functionality, supporting the premise that dependency increases when alternatives are limited or when a medium fulfills multiple social functions. However, the purposes for which students use media appear individualized and largely independent of institutional values, indicating that personal needs and goal fulfillment govern usage. The documented decline in print readership suggests a generational and infrastructural shift toward digital sources, yet extensive internet use may still sustain a reading culture through digital formats. The findings align with prior literature on media’s mixed academic effects and underscore that use (how media are used) rather than the medium itself is critical for academic outcomes. Thus, school values may act as environmental controls on medium choice, while individual agency predominates in how media are used.

The study contributes evidence that mass media, students, and institutional environments are interdependent. In the studied private university, students overwhelmingly prefer the internet and report multipurpose use. While school values can influence media preference by shaping the media environment, students largely maintain autonomy over their purposes for media use. The work advances application of Media System Dependency Theory in a missionary university context and highlights the decline of print readership. Future research should replicate and compare across institutions with different value systems (e.g., public universities) to test generalizability and to disentangle environmental controls from individual agency in media behaviors.

The purposive focus on a single private Christian university limits generalizability to other institutions with different value systems and media environments. The cross-sectional design and self-reported measures may be subject to response and social desirability biases. The small number of qualitative interviews (n=5) limits depth of qualitative generalization. Potential inconsistencies between statistical outputs and interpretations may affect inference strength.