One of the importance of the print media is that it has been seen as a critical link within communities, Bresinger et al. (2014). Until recently the exisitence of these traditional news sharing platforms became threatened and weakened. Bresinger et al. (2014) said in an increasingly electronic and global age, the grasp of this traditional news medium is weakening. Bresinger’s stance was also collaborated by the Pew Research Center (2014)’s report that since the fall of 2013, there has been a dramatic and conspicuous migration of high-profile journalists to digital news ventures and it has evidently been a growing source of competition and contention for the newspaper publishers (Sajjad, 2013; Bichi et al., 2017). The ability to receive information and get instant alerts on the Internet undermines the intent of the newspapers and has obviously been an increasing source of rivalry and controversy for newspaper publishers. (Sajjad, 2013; Bichi et al., 2017). Domingo & Heinonen (2008) also stated that the presence of digital media and the Internet, in particular, was a challenge for traditional media, especially print newspapers.

This new reality has made newspapers to blend into what is now called a single structure of interrelated networks (internet) as audio, video and multimedia technologies have contributed dramatically to transforming the way journalists learn about and conduct their everyday jobs over the past century. (Lasorsa et al., 2011).

So the opportunity to access information and get news contents on the Internet undermines the intent of the newspapers and has obviously been an increasing source of rivalry and contention for newspaper publishers. The Internet has eliminated all regional barriers and, as a digital forum, has a wide reach to worldwide viewers. Today, the sharing of content is immediate and more successful in meeting the target audience. This is encouraged by the low marginal cost associated with the digital news content as well as the sharing of information over the Internet, as opposed to publishing of newspapers that publishers would have to pay for increased printing and distribution costs so as to increase their customer coverage. Despite some of the gains inherent in internet reporting – including decreased printing problems and quicker distribution – economic sustainability has continued to be challenging for many media companies. Newspapers have actually suffered nearly a $30 billion (40 per cent) decline in advertisement sales since 2006 (Barthel, 2015) and internet revenue for most news services remains a tiny fraction of print style revenue (Grabowicz, 2014). This delicate financial condition has raised questions about the endurance and survival of media, as we know it (Yin, 2016).

The Generation Y and Z, the first generations to rise to see print newspapers as cumbersome and redundant (Thomas, 2011), will undoubtedly be central to deciding the future of the newspaper industry. The reason may be premised on the reality that 48 per cent of the overall media audience consists of Millennials and Generation Z audiences, where the largest group is Generation Z with 26 per cent, as shown in a study conducted by Nielsen (Sterling, 2017). Generation Z, which is recorded as post-Millennials and iGen elsewhere, are born from 1996-2012 and thus aged from 6-21 years in 2018. (Fry & Parker, 2018; Twenge, 2017).

1.2 Statement of the problem
In view of the research background presented hitherto, it is evident that for newspaper companies, with emphasis on Punch newspapr, to remain in business they need to attrat the Gen Z and meet them where they are comfortable with. It is this notion that forms the critical problem statement of this study and the premise for the research objectives presented hitherto.

1.3 Research Objectives
The aim of this study is to assess how Punch newspaper is positioning itself to attract Gen Z. Thus the objectives of this study is to:
Assess the evolution of print newspaper to online newspaper
Identify the challenges Punch newspaper is facing to meet the internet audience expectations – Gen Z
Identify the best approach for the transformational news formats and platform

1.4 Hypotheses or research questions:’
In light of the research objectives above, the research questions this study aims to resolve are as follows:
To what extent is the Gen Z affecting the newspaper industry
How is Punch responding to the new reality
What are the challenges Punch newspaper is facing to meet the internet audience expectations
What is the best approach for the transformational news formats

1.5 Significance of the study
With the lack of extensive extant in literature on how the Gen Z is causing a change in the way the Nigerian newpapers are operating and presenting their news, access to remain relavant and gain enough profits to sustain their operations may be difficult. The worry that print media are facing an unknown future, and that they expect a long-term downturn due to the increase of online reporting. (Sternvik et al, 2008). The significance of this study is founded on its original contribution to literature (a derivative of researching the subject matter) as well as the insight the study will provide academic studies and policy makers as well as media owners and journalists.

1.6 Scope of the study
The study focuses on Punch newspapers, which is only one of the traditional newspaper in Nigeria. One of the reasons why I chose the Punch is because of it is one the oldest Nigerian newspaper, that has clearly made moves to appease to the Gen Z.

1.7 Limitations of the study
The choice of qualitative methods illustrates a drawback to this, as qualitative methods would have offered analytical evidence of the position that digital marketing can play in providing farmers with access to benefit markets. In comparison, mixed approaches may have allowed the researcher to collect both analytical and qualitative data to provide a clearer insight into the subject matter. However, time and personnel limitations further influenced the choice of quantitative methodology for this analysis, and subsequent research is planned to follow alternative methods to gain further insight into the subject matter. However, this thesis acts as a novel academic analysis that will provide a theoretical foundation for more, contextual or mixed approaches.

1.7 Operational definition of terms:
Generation Z: Brosdahl and Carpenter’s (2011) classification of generations using the birth year category for each cohort: Generation X (1961-1980), Generation Y (1981-1990) and Generation Z (1991 and after) is followed. Gen Z is the first to have Internet technology so readily available and they have been exposed to a unprecedented amount of technology in their upbringing, courtesy the web revolution that occurred throughout the 1990s. Gen Z is known for being so technologically savvy that social media is a significant portion of who they socialize with. Generation Z is creating a strong bond through virtual interaction, and it helps them to leave their unhealthy offline relationships.
The early, regular and influential exposure to technology by Gen Z has both positive and negative consequences in regards to rational, sentimental, and social aspects.

2.1. Conceptual review of newspaper
Newspapers are regarded as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s media space. Nigeria’s newspaper industry is evolving, and this could be the product of its long history. Since the launch of Iwe Irohin in 1859 as the first local publication in the country, Nigerians have obtained numerous publications. Most Nigerian newspapers are privately owned (Babalola, 2002; Adesoji and Hahn, 2011). That is obviously justified by the experience of the media industry. There are, however, various challenges facing the print newspaper industry in the region. The combined circulation of Nigerian newspapers has been slowly decreasing. Dare (2011) said the reasons for the decline in print news include the high cost of newsprint and the existence of a variety of free internet news sources. Also, another challenge for Nigerian newspapers space is that politicians buy controlling interest in them to manipulate them to accomplish their political agenda. Most often, if the political agenda of such politicians is achieved, they stop contributing to the newspaper. As a result, many newspapers and journalists have been shut down in Nigeria (Media Reach OMD Nigeria, 2005).

Print media in Nigeria is very competitive, with numerous different media competing for audience members. The most significant development is the advent of online newspaper which has taken the place of the traditional newspaper. Ekhareafo et al. (2012). The complexities of newspaper administration with the advent of information and communication technologies. Their research found that social media among newspaper readers in Nigeria is a significant challenge. They found that while communication technology could affect journalism practice, this was a positive thing when it came to managing newspapers. Hassan et al. (2015) determined that people read newspapers online in Nigeria. Online newspapers are preferred because of their timely updates and interactivity with the readers. In a study from Nigeria, Hassan et al. found that online newspapers satisfied a moderate level of news needs. The rise of the internet caused several newspapers to close down in the 1990s and early 21st century. With the increasing use of the internet, there is an overload of news, and the scope of news has become global or national (Agboola, 2014).

But there are some studies that suggest that Nigerian newspapers have a bright future if they embrace technology and work to improve their print quality. Ogbonna and Green (2001) maintained that newspapers will always need to struggle and survive. They can position themselves for the future by taking positive strides in the present. Hassan et al. suggest that newspaper publishers must become technologically savvy and put quality first in order to maintain print media. In order to survive, Nigerian newspapers must develop certain strategies to successfully avoid mortality.

The assumption that Nigeria is in a constant state of decline in the newspaper and media industry is simply not adequate in light of the changing circumstances (Agboola, 2014). Okeke et al. (2013) explained that the survival of print newspapers in the digital age of communication depended on how newspaper editors adjust to the new media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and the popular stories on websites. Newspaper publishers should be aware that the interactivity made possible by the internet environment is one of the advantages that it has over the traditional media. The study conducted by Abdurrahmen et al. (2012) states that the effectiveness of the internet in changing the pattern of behavior. This study examines the role of information dissemination and news consumption in Nigeria, especially among the youth, As Okonofua (2012) explains, nearly half of the people who read articles online regularly do so.

News on the internet is very controversial in some ways because it is an encroachment of the newspaper audiences. Recently, the stats on internet usage in Africa showed that Nigeria led the continent in internet usage (Internet World Stats, 2017). The popularity of encroachment has grown tremendously because of the availability of internet access in Nigeria. Although print newspapers seem more vulnerable to competition and news appearing online, it is expected that printed newspapers will continue to exist. Almost all Nigerian newspapers update their websites more frequently than newspapers that are published in print. They are all (or most of them) have breaking news sections on their websites where stories are published before going to the traditional platforms according to Open Society Foundations Report 2012.

A study conducted by Tommy (2014), and eight top and middle management staff from four Nigerian newspapers were interviewed (The Guardian, Vanguard, Tribune, and Sun, Newspapers). Several trends emerged from the interview, implying that news website is among the important factors affecting print newspaper readership in Nigeria. Also, a statistically significant relationship was found between newspaper readership and internet penetration in developing countries (Lucena, 2011). As a result, because of the availability of information on the internet, readers do not need to buy print newspapers anymore (Okoro and Diri, 2010).

One can then say that Tommy’s study shows that new technologies such as online and social media platforms are both a blessing and a curse to newspaper organizations. Technological developments could be used to optimize print media functions and at the same time, their survival might be negatively affected if care isn’t taken. There is evidence to suggest that newspapers could benefit from using online news platforms to solve their diminishing readership.

2.2. Theoretical framework:

use and gratifications was brought into the public’s opinion in the 1940’s and had become popular in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s with the introduction of television. Researchers became interested in viewing people’s engagement with media of different types, such as TV watching, radio listening, and newspaper reading. Since then, use and gratification has been recognized as a key theory in journalism and communication development.

The theory is one of the communication theories that focuses on the effectiveness of people communicating with each other. This theory adapts a functional approach to communications and media, and states that media’s most important role is to fulfill the needs and motivations of the audience. When these needs are met, the greater satisfaction is derived. The theory of uses and gratification is related to why people are attracted to certain media. What type of satisfaction do media provide for people? In other words, the uses and gratification theory concentrates on How Internet users seek media and the extent to which they are satisfied with it. (Amiri, Noori, Basatian, 2012). If people use a certain media in the hopes of finding something useful, they may still not use it or like it. Readers’ preferences for print or online media will be based on how the media fulfill their own needs.

This conclusion that if an item is interesting and people are willing to pay for it, it would be successful is not necessarily true. The use of this media paradigm is imperative for those in the media industry because of the presence of various television, radio, video, satellite and online channels. (Windahl et al, 2008).

The most recent developments in the uses and gratifications approach are the increasing popularity of new media technologies, such as the internet, digital games, and mobile devices, which have become the focus of uses and gratifications research.

With new technology, audiences have become so active it is hard to say they are an audience anymore but instead they are now referred to as users. The term has similarly morphed from generally only referring to certain media like publications or Television programs. It is now used to describe venues, channels and devices.Due to recent technological advancements, users no longer simply consume media, they also create it and interact with it. (Wimmer& Dominick, 1994).
Uses and Gratification Theory has several components as follows:
Active audience
Theories about the audience have shifted over time. In the studies, the roles the participants assumed differed greatly (Windahl et al., 2008). As the uses and gratification theory was introduced, a major change in how we are supposed to pay attention to the audience occurred (Windahl et al., 2008) and the researchers assumed that the audience were knowledgeable about the uses of media content, and could express them through the survey (Amiri et al., 2012). The primary premise of this theory is that the audience is looking for content that provides the most satisfying level of enjoyment. (Windahl et al., 2008). The audience’s enjoyment level is dependent on their demands and wants. The greater the person’s belief that the product truly provides what s/he needs, the more willing s/he may be to purchase it. The level of the audience’s activity is measured in an unbiased way by rating the amount of activity.

Needs and Motifs
The discussion of uses and gratification theory typically started with a focus on a person’s needs. In the first drafts of this model, we assumed the basic human needs were equal. The major advancements of this theory shows that there are other needs not restricted to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and also incorporates needs such as need for guidance, need for safety, need for socialization, and need to revert from stress and anxiety. (Windahl et al., 2008).

As a result, people do not solely use media for the reasons media creators want them to (Windahl et al., 2008).

Gratification
Receiving messages is to be enjoyed. The uses and gratification theory often focuses on satisfaction resulting from use, which ignores the intention and goal behind use. Researchers have noted two different types of satisfaction: content and process. In content vs. process gratification, getting certain messages is important, while participating in the process of getting the message is more important. (Windahl et al., 2008). In the uses and gratification framework, there are two components; what is desired (being gratified) and what results from the desired state. These two components differ from one another in terms of their applicability, and neglecting this essential difference leads to misinterpreting the results.

Use and Effect
The innovators of “uses and gratification” hoped to achieve two main aims. The first step, which they have accomplished, was to focus on the audience’s needs when assessing audience cognition. The second goal was to evaluate the impact of media. Researchers believe that media use varies from person to person, but it can be understood if it is identified for what purpose it is used. In other words, the type of use for the content affects the results, and how much and how often people use it are important (Windahl et al., 2008)

Empirical and Methodological Literature review
So much has been documented on the internet and in formal newspapers, but researches basically looking at the evolution of newspaper due to generational impacts is not available.

However, it is not a doubt that the newspaper industry is in a period of rapid change. Brock (2013) researched how changes in news publishing occur when a newspaper sells less than 300,000 copies, but its website receives over 31 million users. Brock’s stance confirms that the online news audience is more than the newspaper audience, which might have been because of several reasons including distribution problems and the high level of internet users – 48 per cent of the overall media audience consists of Millennials and Generation Z audiences, where the largest group is Generation Z with 26 per cent, as shown in a study conducted by Nielsen (Sterling, 2017). These shifts are forcing assumptions and practices to be rethought from fundamental principles. The internet is not a mere distribution mechanism: rather it demands a transformation.

When analyzing the past, present and future for the fragile newspaper industry battling a ‘perfect storm’, Bolck conducted a quantitative research. George Brock argues that change is necessary in current journalism in order to adapt to a new age of communication (Brock, 2013).

Yahr (2008) thinks that websites will help newspaper to succeed in the future. Yahr asserts that with “Bloggers can monitor conversations” In the article “The Ever Evolving Newspaper,” Frye (2006) states that newspapers are increasingly using texts messages and phone applications.

Elizabeth Everet’s research (2011), also not targeted at a generation, examined what newspapers now use in the delivery of news, and how they are adapting to the readers’ (readers here can be any of the millenials) changing needs. Using a 3 step approach, her research involved interviews, secondary research and surveys. The study found that newspaper sales are not in decline. Newspapers are increasingly using newer technology in order to deliver information thus concluding a positive future for journalism.

The decline in the newspaper has been predicted for many years. Despite competition from radio, television, and now the Internet, newspapers continue to be successful because of their core functions in successful cultures. The conclusion suggests that newspapers are not only the core of a successful society, but that they will succeed regardless of innovations in reading habits and technology (Shannon, 2003).

Shannon’s study was collaborated by Lucena (2011) who carried out a research to find out the reasons for closures of some newspaper companies after the industry saw a drop in paid circulationn the early years of the 2010s. Lucena (2011) conducted a study to know the reasons for closures. He conducted a statistical analysis of a representative period of the past decade for several countries using economic, technological, and media trends. In his findings, newspaper use is declining, with the internet being more popular for news delivery.

A study by Kirsner (1997) sought to examine newspaper survival in the digital age. He suggested that investing in the web would be wise. According to Robertson (2005), newspaper subscriptions are decreasing because readers stop buying newspapers because they have realized that they can get the same content online for free. Robertson contends that newspapers requires its subscribers to pay for an online subscription to read all content for free.

Section Three.
3.1 Research design
To select an appropriate research design for this research, it is imperative to consider the drafted research questions and objectives and the most appropriate designs and methods for resolving them. In light of the aforementioned information, correlational research was chosen as the appropriate research design for this study. The adoption of this design is predicated on the claims of McMillan (2012) who maintains that the correlational design allows researchers to evaluate the relationship between two or more variables using proven statistical methods. Indeed, when considering the purported impact of Gen Z on the way newspaper organisations are positing themeselves to remain relevant is consistent with the correlational research design and additional emphasis is placed on the use of quantitative research methods.

3.2 Research Method
Based on the research design chosen up until now, the qualitative study will be used as the appropriate method to address the objectives of this study. This paper is based on assertions by (Scapra 2012) and (Muhibul 2015) who claim that for research which aims to discover the circumstances within which samples exist would benefit from adopting qualitative methods. This study will enable the researcher to conduct a deep assessment of the challenges newspaper organisations face due to dominance of the Generation Z.

3.3 Study population and Size
The study population for this study is Punch Newspaper in Nigeria. The study aims to gather data from about 20 Punch Newspaper staff (top and medium), who have been involved in their push for Punch newspaper to remain relavant in the digital age. This is in line with the research objectives of this study as well as the aim of producing actionable results from this study that can be generalized to larger populations as well.

3.4 Sampling technique and sample size.
To conduct this study using a judgment sampling method, the technique chosen will be the judgment sampling technique. Teheerdosst notes that sampling techniques must be selected in accordance with the research objectives and the most suitable target population who can address the questions therein. Thus, Maxwell (1996) affrim that purposive or judgmental sampling is a sampling strategy in which specific settings and tasks are selected deliberately to provide important information for a study. There are certain set of people that are responsible for the change Punch are undertaking to position themselves for Gen Z

3.5 Variables
For this study, the research will adopt two variables which will be evaluated using the thematic analysis. These are

Newspaper: An endogenous variable purportedly impacted by Gen Z

Gen Z: An exogenous variable whose influence on newspaper will be evaluated

3.6 Research Instrument
The choice of a data collection tool is determined by the research questions and objectives of the study in question (Scarpa, 2012; Creswell, 2010). In addition, since the results of this study are expected to be generalizable to a larger population, structured interviews will be used, aimed at evaluating the subject matter of this study.

3.6 Methods of data presentation and analysis