Technology as Gatekeeper: How Infrastructure and Digital Skills Shape Digital TV Switchover Engagement

Description

This study examines the impact of perceived infrastructural support and digital skills on user engagement with Nigeria's Digital Switchover (DSO). It investigates if digital skills mediate the relationship between infrastructural readiness and participation in this national digital broadcasting reform. Utilising a cross-sectional survey and structural equation modelling, the research tests both direct and mediating relationships among these factors.

Steps to reproduce

The data was collected for my doctoral study, which utilised a cross-sectional survey and structural equation modelling. The study tests both direct and mediating relationships among these factors. The results show that perceived infrastructural support strongly predicts DSO engagement and digital skills, underscoring the centrality of structural readiness in digital transition processes. In contrast, digital skills do not significantly predict engagement, and no mediating effect is observed. 4.1 Research design This study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional survey design to examine the relationships among perceived infrastructural support, digital skills, and digital switchover engagement in Nigeria. A survey design was appropriate because the study seeks to test theoretically derived relationships among latent constructs and assess the mediating role of digital skills within an explanatory model. The cross-sectional approach enabled data collection at a single point in time and provided a suitable basis for analysing perceptions, competencies, and engagement behaviours related to digital television use. 4.2 Study area and population The study took place in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria, chosen for its diverse social and infrastructural landscape, which affects digital broadcasting exposure. This area provides a relevant context for analysing how infrastructure and user capabilities influence digital television engagement during Nigeria's digital switchover. The target population included adult television users in Ikorodu who had access to TV and some awareness or interaction with digital services. This approach allowed for a broader understanding of transitional media experiences, capturing variations in awareness and engagement without limiting participation to confirmed digital subscribers.

Institutions

• Robert Gordon University

  Scotland, Aberdeen

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