Across the world, a decline in mainstream news consumption has set in. The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2021 (10th Edition) survey reports;
“Interest in news has risen in some countries that have been badly affected by the crisis. It is also higher in people whose lives have been directly impacted, but on average across countries we find that levels of interest (59%) have not risen over the last year – with young people and those with lower education still paying less attention… If we take a longer term perspective, we actually see a decline in news interest in a number of countries – despite the turbulent times in which we live… Decline in interest in mainstream news remains a huge challenge at a time when societies are facing such a set of existential threats to health and prosperity..”
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report survey covers more than half the world’s population (in 46 markets). In its 2021 survey, it focused on COVID’s effects on news consumption as well, aside from its usual survey topics.
The decline in the consumption of print news –accelerated by the COVID spread- was not seen in one aspect-i.e.- in local politics. The print news publications were looked forward to for consumption of local politics. In news other than local politics, social media has its way.
“While people still think of newspapers as the best destination for local politics, in other areas search engines, internet marketplaces, or social media are now considered better or more convenient..”
Interestingly, the survey finds a silver lining in the dark clouds of decline in mainstream news intake; news consumption through social media IS on the rise, worldwide.
The Reuters survey finds that despite a decline in mainstream news, the use of social media for news is “strong”.
“The use of social media for news remains strong, especially with younger people and those with lower levels of education. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have become especially popular in the Global South. Our data suggest that mainstream news brands and journalists attract most attention around news in both Facebook and Twitter..”
The survey adds:
“They are eclipsed by influencers and alternative sources in networks like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram..”
Despite Facebook and Twitter ‘eclipsed’ by influencers and alternative sources, these ‘sources’ too are no less than social media players and therefore, it is clear that social media has come to stay in news publishing.
Social network websites were indicated as the third source used to access news (after Television and a newspaper’s website) by US citizens as per the International Media Consumption Report 2021 survey by YouGov. In UK, the survey indicated Social network websites to be in the fifth source used to access news. Globally YouGov survey found that ‘digital’ to be standing taller than ‘traditional’ media channels.
The survey reports:
“The key takeaway from this data is that even the less popular digital activities are now fairly commonplace… the lowest number for these types of consumption in any of the markets is in Hong Kong – for streaming on a TV set. And even then, almost three in ten (29%) people did so in the week prior to being asked. This low-water mark is still higher than the global average for watching recorded TV, reading a print newspaper, or a print magazine..”
In comparison to traditional media, social media offers the immediacy of latest news at one’s own palm (so that the audience may not run searching for a TV monitor on a wall for news), offers prompt amplifying opportunity (sharing) to each user’s own tribe (and beyond), and affords users to thumb news content indicating if they ‘like’ them, leading to setting of the next viral trend.
What platforms are driving this?
According to Reuters, smartphones are the driver of growth in social media news consumption.
“.. the use of smartphone for news (73%) has grown at its fastest rate for many years, with dependence also growing through Coronavirus lockdowns…”
Still, this cheerful episode of growth does not paint the whole picture on social media news consumption.
(To Be Continued)
