THE SUGGESTION FOR NEWSPAPERS
APPLICATION IMPROVEMENT
ď. Pechanová*, N. HorĖáková*, A. Stareþek* and D. CagáĖová*
* Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, Slovakia
lubica.pechanova@stuba.sk, natalia.hornakova@stuba.sk, augustin.starecek@stuba.sk, dagmar.caganova@stuba.sk
Abstract— The main aim of the submitted paper is to
propose recommendations for the newspapers application
improvement for smartphones and tablets used by wide
range of users. The first part of the paper contains the
explanation, advantages and disadvantages of using digital
versions of newspapers for better understanding of the
dealing issue. The second part of the paper describes the
authors survey, the sources and ways of the data gaining for
the questionnaire. The results of the survey among users or
potential users of the newspapers smartphone and tablet
application are presented in the section Results of the
survey. The discussion part of the paper summarizes the
results of the survey and contains suggestions for possible
ways of newspapers application improvement.
Key words: application, smartphone, tablet, innovation,
newspaper, online
I. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
The applications for smartphones and tablets are one of
the latest innovations in print media. Some of the
applications are able only to show issues, offer the
subscriptions which are convenient for the reader. The
application contains database of previous issues and
electronic version saves environment.
The first newspapers were published in Europe in the
seventeenth century. Evolving technology has brought
changes to the newspaper business. The web has given to
newspapers the new opportunities to update the news
rapidly and fresh ways to deliver the news [1].
Five advantages of the online media can be defined:
time reality, interactivity, direct competition comparison,
linking information via hypertext and format blending [2].
In addition to offering a Web edition of newspapers
customized for computers, papers are also delivered either
by application or mobile Web sites tailored to work with
smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
Advantages of using digital version of newspapers
compared to print ones are following [3][4]:
- The content can be organized in any way the
author wants. The software can imitate a codex, a
scroll or even a clay tablet.
- It can support a linear path through a book like a
codex or scroll, or it can provide hypertexting
that allows a multitude of paths through the
content.
- The reader can look up words and dig deeper for
information in an instant.
- There is no need for costs of a printing press,
paper, ink or electricity, lubricants, cleaners, and
labour to rub the printing process.
- There is no cost for the shipment and storage of
books, and people to sell the books. Vans,
drivers, warehouses are not needed as well as
salary for book sellers, inventory and real estate
costs are not necessary.
- The purchasing process is faster and easier for
customers. A book can be purchased anywhere
and at any time.
- Timing and always fresh news. Update can be
done anytime as there is no deadline for printing
the newspapers.
- Interactivity. Newspapers can not only merely
shift its print media content to its online version
or mobile app: it can be changed to a cool, value-
added experience. Larger graphics, added videos,
interactive comments add value that print cannot
offer.
- Social sharing and community. Users
increasingly expect to interact with the content
they consume.
- Ad-serving flexibility. The advantage of using
digital media advertising is not only that multiple
ads in one advertising space can be published but
some of the latest advertising technologies can be
used, too. Digital media advertising enables
readers to engage with ads whether banner ads or
more intensive sponsored content.
- Tracking and analytics. The clearest benefit to
digital publishing is the feedback that helps to
optimize content and interface of the application.
That information can be used especially to grow
and maintain readership and attract viable
revenue streams through sponsored content and
ad revenues.
- Readership feedback. Readers can be asked
directly about their experience and opinions
through well-formulated surveys. This valuable
insight can be used to improve content of the
digital version.
- Access to free marketing channels. Digital media
provides access to social networks where the
newspapers can distribute news and promote
themselves.
But digital editions of newspapers give publishers
another issues to deal with, including [1][5]:
- Getting paid for online content. Newspapers and
other media outlets have long given away their
 product for free online. Once you have started
doing that, it is hard to get people to start paying.
- Online plagiarism. Digital media publishers need
to take additional steps to protect their written
content, photos, videos, and other original
works.
- Shorter attention spans. As people get older, they
understand and remember less, and they have
greater difficulty transferring their learning to
new contexts. Digital media have to work extra
hard to keep its attention-deficit readers engaged.
- Time limit. Online content can be available for
only some time or can be deleted by owner
without reader´s knowledge. The information is
not available anymore.
- Sensory experience. The studies show that person Figure 1. Questionnaire scheme
retains knowledge and experience better through
physical interaction.
The first three questions are sociodemographic
questions – gender, age and education. Next question asks
This paper is focused on Slovak newspapers. SME the respondent whether he/she uses newspapers
newspapers is the first Slovak newspapers that registered application. If the answer is yes, questions about
internet domain. In 1996 SME became online on satisfaction and improvement suggestions of the used
www.sme.sk. Since 1998 Pravda and Hospodárske noviny application follows. If the answer is negative question
started online versions of the newspapers [6]. whether the respondent used to use any newspapers
Later, applications became popular. Plus jeden deĖ, application follows joined by questions with checkboxes
Denník N, Hospodárske Noviny, Šport are examples of for multiple choices about what would make users to
applications that offer printed issues in electronic form. install and use the newspapers application again. The
On the other hand, some newspapers applications do not questionnaire also contains questions for respondents who
offer full issues but the articles are shown individually the have never used any newspapers application. The
way they are available also on the internet website of the questionnaire contained space for the respondent to add
newspapers, for instance newspapers Nový þas, SME and some notes. The survey questionnaire was distributed via
Pravda. The biggest advantage is that they can add latest Google Documents and available from October 8th to
news even in the evening and night hours. October 18th 2016. The survey questionnaire was
answered by 130 respondents from Slovakia. 10
II. METHODS AND AIMS questionnaires were excluded from the survey because of
incorrect answers of the respondents.
To reach the main aim of the submitted paper, to
propose recommendations for the newspapers application III. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY
improvement for smartphones and tablets used by wide
range of users, 5 partial aims are stated: First, collection, The first three questions reveal that the questionnaire
study and sorting of the theoretical data of solved issue. was answered by 61 % female and 39 % male (Fig. 2).
Second, setting methods and aims of the survey. Third, The biggest age group was composed of the 19-30 years
collection of the data for the analysis of the current state old respondents (82 %) (Fig. 3) and 64 % achieved
of newspaper applications usage. Fourth, the suggestion university grade (Fig. 4).
for newspapers application improvement. Fifth,
conclusions and a summary of the findings.
For collecting data for this paper was used the
questionnaire method. The questionnaire contained twelve
questions. The questions were constructed from data
obtained by studying theoretical resources. The structure
of the questionnaire is shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 2. Gender – Sex


Figure 3. Age
Figure 4. The highest level of achieved education
After these socio-demographic questions, another
section followed. Firstly, respondents were asked whether
they use any newspaper application. 22 % of respondents
answered positive, 78 % of respondents do not use any
newspapers application.
The results of the survey questions are shown in
absolute frequency of respondent’s answers. The most
important reason why respondents use newspapers
application was quick access to the content without need
of opening Internet browser (11 respondents), easier
orientation in the content (7 respondents) and notifications
about important news on the screen (7 respondents).
Answer „there are good recipes“ was added (Fig. 5).
Figure 5. Why do users use newspaper´s application instead of mobile
website version?
The following question discusses the suggestions what
would the users improve on the newspaper application
they use. The chart below (Fig. 6) shows that two most
popular suggestions are the posibility to choose preferred
content (12 respondents) and the possibility to create a
free account for saving preferences (10 respondetns).
Figure 6. What would you improve on the newspaper application you
use?
The respondents who do not use newspaper application
were asked about their previous experience with it. The
biggest group of total respondents are those who do not
use newspapers application and had never used any
newspapers application (65 %). Group of 13 % of total
respondents had tried newspaper application but either
stopped using it or uninstalled it from device for various
reasons.
The group of the respondents who had experiences with
newspapers applications (13 %) uninstalled the
application for more reasons. The chosen application
either did not fulfill their expectations as functionality,
content or price of the service they had to pay for using
the application (9 respodents), or they were not satisfied
with the control of the application (2 respondetns). Three
respondents prefer reading news online. Other answers
contained complaints about updates and hardware
problems (Fig. 7).
Figure 7. What is the main reason why you do not use the newspaper
application anymore?
The respondents who had used the newspaper
applications would consider installing the application
back, if the navigation through the content of the
application was more user-friendly (4 respondents), better
marketing of the application as without promotion they
will not know about the updates, changes and
improvements in the application (3 respondents). The
respondents would consider reusing the application if
features such as notification of paid article/video
(2 respondents), possibility to customize the content
(2 respondents) and to display chosen content on other
devices by logging to private free account with saved
personal preferences (2 respondents) are added. Flawless
operation (2 respondents) and faster loading of the site (2
respondents) are the most important aspects of their
decision to install the newspapers application again. More
interesting content and new device are answers which
respondents added to Other (Fig. 8).
Figure 8. What would motivate you to download and re-use the
application?
The respondents of the biggest group of 65 % who have
never tried any newspapers application were asked why
they have never tried any newspapers application. The
most frequent reason was that they had not heard about
any newspaper application (44 respondents) or they are
not interested in the application because they prefer online
version of the newspaper (41 respondents). Five of the
respondents are not interested in any applications as they
do not have suitable device for the application and as they
pointed out in answer Other mostly because of the full
memory of their device (3 respondents) (Fig. 9).
Figure 9. What is the main reason why you have not tried the
newspapers application?
The respondents of the 65 % group require from the
newspapers application easy navigation through the
content and the faster loading of the content compared to
the online version (20 respondents) and easier way of
control of the application (19 respondents). 16
respondents require flawless operation. Four respondents
added that nothing would persuade them to use
newspapers application, two are satisfied with website
version and one respondent would download the
application if the content was free. (Fig. 10)
Figure 10. What would motivate you to download and use the
application?
Last question was not compulsory. The respondents had
space to add their thoughts on discussed topic. The most
common are following: “I avoid using similar
applications. They require many private information about
the user, take system memory, they are slower...; I prefer
reading news on PC or mobile via the browser.; Lately,
newspapers become tabloids, I am tired of having to dig
through the information to find something useful. I gave
up.” Newspapers applications respondents use: Teraz
application, Sme.sk, Denník N.
IV. CONCLUSION
The results which are presented above can be
summarized as:
- 22 % of total number of respondents use
smartphone or tablet newspapers application. The
main reasons why they prefer the application to
the website are that it is faster, has easier control,
offers alerts about news and they have positive
recommendations. However, there are areas to
improve: possibility to customize content,
possibility to create free account for saving
customized content and notification of paid
content so the user is warned before opening the
article.
- 13 % of total respondents who have tried the
newspapers application stated that the reason
why they did so, was that it did not work
properly, content was not interesting for them,
they were not willing to pay the price and the
application did not suit their needs. They would
consider re-using of the application if the
navigation was easier, there is possibility to
customize content and saving the customization
 by creating free account, screen alerts about the
latest news and the loading of the application was
faster. All this needs better marketing to let
people know about these updates.
- 65 % of total number of respondents have not
tried newspapers application. There are two most
important reasons. They either have never heard
about any smartphone or tablet newspapers
application or they are not interested in any
newspapers application. Some of them have not
tried newspapers applications because they do
not have a suitable device. Their conditions for
downloading some newspapers application on
their device were numerous: easy navigation, fast
loading, easy control, flawless operation,
recommendations from friends. Few respondents
would not be persuaded by anything to download
such application.
According of the survey results, following
recommendations can be suggested:
• Firstly, the application should have user friendly
navigation, flawless operation, fast loading,
interesting content and good look. These aspects
would make users satisfied and they would share
positive feedback among people. “Word of
mouth” is one of the most powerful marketing
tool for spreading information.
• Secondly, the most effective way for keeping
actual users is to innovate. New features, such as
possibility to personalize application for
individual user, creating free account for saving
this personalization, are welcome. Space for
users൐ feedback, especially for getting
suggestions for improvement, should be
provided.
• Old users could be persuaded to start using the
newspapers application again by easier
navigation, application personalization, more
interesting content and marketing to let them
know about the updates.
• People who never used any smartphone or tablet
newspapers application should be aware of the
newspapers application existence. Good
marketing plan should be prepared for
promoting the application as well as for those
who do not use any newspapers application
either because they are not interested or they lost
interest in it. Advertisements in different
applications with direct link to the download site
are effective.
Realization of further research is planned on a larger
sample of the respondents. The research would be
implemented also in further research in cooperation with
several newspapers publishers. Consequently, the results
will be compared with the results of this paper.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The paper is part of the H2020 project RISE-SK called
“Research and Innovation Sustainability for Europe in
Slovakia”, which was approved as an institutional project
with foreign participation.
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