Digital innovation and readership trends in regional newspapers: An empirical audience-based study

The digital transformation of the news industry has posed significant challenges for regional newspapers, particularly as audiences increasingly engage with news through digital and mobile platforms. This study empirically examines how recent digital innovations adopted by regional newspapers relate to contemporary readership trends, with a specific focus on younger demographics. Grounded in an integrated theoretical framework combining Gatekeeping Theory, Second-Level Agenda-Setting, Diffusion of Innovations, and Uses and Gratifications, the research analyzes data from a quantitative survey of 415 respondents. Statistical techniques including paired samples tests, Bayesian estimation, and chi-square analyses were employed to assess relationships between digital availability, reader satisfaction, mobile app experience, content quality perceptions, loyalty beliefs, and generational adoption patterns. The findings reveal a weak positive association between digital availability and satisfaction, while no significant relationships are observed between app usability and reading experience, content quality and loyalty, or age and adoption likelihood. These results suggest that while digital innovations are acknowledged by audiences, their impact on satisfaction, loyalty, and generational renewal remains limited. The study concludes that digital transformation is a necessary but insufficient condition for sustaining readership engagement in regional newspapers, highlighting the importance of aligning technological strategies with audience expectations and perceived value.