Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Media Studies senior capstone class (3:30 pm section) at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for the latest on media industry trends and insightful media analysis, you've come to the right place!
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
News Blog 7, Question 1 (March 27th)
How have changes in the way we consume media
impacted the news media industry? Where are people getting their news today?
And what can journalism outlets do to keep younger audiences, in particular,
engaged?Limit: 9 responses
Over the past decade the news media landscape has drastically changed, journalistically and specifically the way the public consumes media content and seeks out that content. This change is in direct accordance with the social media take-over and millennial generation’s values with how they interact with social media and the world in general. Millennials have been known as the generation of short attention spans and the supreme connection and understand of technology advances. With that being said, because of those qualities millennials have gained the expectation of media content tailored to each of them and easy to access (meaning even free), and therefore will not seek it out if it isn’t free/easy to access and tailor-made for them. However, despite that, millennials still consume news media and content at a high level. They just do it in different ways than ever before. “As of spring 2017, 45% of U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device, up from 36% in 2016 and 21% in 2013. The use of desktop or laptop computers for news remains steady, with 31% saying they often get news this way. In all, 85% of Americans ever get news on a mobile device, the same proportion who do so on a desktop computer. And, among those who get news both ways, mobile devices are increasingly preferred. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of U.S. adults who get news on both mobile and desktop prefer mobile, up from 56% in 2016” (Bialik). Therefore, the online consumption of media and on-the-go consumption of media is more prevalent than ever in America, while newspapers and in some cases television news consumption are on the decline. Therefore, this has caused news media companies to have a stronger presence on both social media and their online websites than ever before with the strongly growing internet obsession in America. In addition, social media has changed the tone in the presentation of news. “In many cases, news comes as part of social flow, something that may happen unexpectedly and serendipitously as people check to see what’s new with their network or community of friends. At other times news is something they seek out on their own. Most see news as an enjoyable or entertaining experience” (Young, 4). Therefore, millennials go to news to both be updated about the current state of the world, country, and area, but also for the inclusive aspect and entertainment aspect of news, and if the news is ‘boring’ or lacks those aspects, they’ll be less and less interested and not nearly as inclined to stay on that news channel, seek out that news site, or follow that news on social media. Also, news media will have to again adapt on social media, with Facebook’s new news feed format. “Media companies are bracing for the changes coming to Facebook’s News Feed — the column that appears when the site or app is opened — that will favor posts by friends over material from news organizations and other businesses” (Ember). Therefore, news media will need to make their content on the same level of care as friends and family type content. Users will need to gain the desire to see media content at the same level of personal content, in order for news media to survive and thrive on Facebook. Overall, news media will need to engage further with the millennial audience to keep interest and entertainment levels up, along with making their content even easier to access for millennials who will not and do not have to go to great lengths to access their content.
Bialik, Kristen. “Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media.” Pew Research Center, 4 Oct. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/.
Ember, Sydney. “The End of the Social News Era? Journalists Brace for Facebook's Big Change.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/business/media/facebook-news-feed-media.html.
Young, Eric. “How Millennials Get News: Inside the Habits of America’s First Digital Generation .” Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research , pp. 1–40. American Press Institute.
Changes in the way that we consume media have impacted the news industry in many ways. People are getting their news from many different places today; journalism outlets need to be new and up and coming to keep younger audiences engaged. It is indeed more important than to appeal to audiences to keep a large following over any type of media. Since 2017, 67% of Americans state that they have gotten at least some of their news on social media (Shearer). There was a survey from Pew Research Center that stated that this was an increase since 2016 (Shearer). Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat have grown since 2016 with more users getting news on each site (Shearer). There are two different ways to measure the change in news on varying platforms. One way is to compare the, “share of each site’s users that get news on the site” (Shearer). The second way is to, “measure the total percentage of Americans that report seeing news on the site” (Shearer). These three platforms as well as the new enhancements are a huge source of information and news for Americans. Social media and digital news continue to grow with mobile devices rapidly becoming one of easiest and most used way for Americans to get news (Bialik). The Pew Research Center reports several findings about today’s digital news media landscape. For instance the gap between television and online news consumption is narrowing (Bialik). In August of 2017, 43% of Americans reported that they often-retrieved news from online, only 7 percent fewer than the 50% who often get their news from television (Bialik). The gap between television and online news was 19 points in early 2016, which is more than twice as large (Bialik)). Older adults are driving the growth in mobile use today (Bialik ). “More than eight-in-ten U.S. adults get news on a mobile device now (Blalik). This number is up from 72% in 2016 (Bialik). The recent uprising has come from growth among much older Americans. About two-thirds of Americans ages 65 and above are now getting news on a mobile device, a 24 percent jump from 2016 and three times as many as it was in 2013 (Bialik). In the media industry it is crucial to attract younger news consumers. ““Younger Thinking,” is a meta-analysis of available data about the relationship between the news industry and its up and coming consumers” (Baume). Although it’s common knowledge, studies have shown, “Its no shock,” that 21 year olds turn to Facebook for information more than 71 year olds do (Baume). Interestingly enough, younger peoples’ interest in the news, and their actual consumption of it are very different from each other. “Youngsters,” tend to expect news to find them rather than looking for news (Baume). In this case, there are many ways to improve media for young people using road signs and context, offering, “wisdom journalism,” personalizing the message, and rethinking the news site design (Baume). Fluctuations in the way in which we utilize media have impacted the news industry in various ways. People are getting their news from numerous places such as Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat. Additionally, journalism outlets need to be changes to keep younger audiences engaged. The appeal to younger audiences is crucial in the media industry in the twenty-first century .
Works Cited
Baume, Matt. “10 Ways to Attract Younger News Consumers.” Poynter, 2 Mar. 2017, www.poynter.org/news/10-ways-attract-younger-news-consumers.
Bialik, Kristen, and Katerina Eva Matsa. “Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media.” Pew Research Center, 4 Oct. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/.
Shearer, Elisa, and Jeffrey Gottfried. “News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017.” Pew Research Center's Journalism Project, 7 Sept. 2017, www.journalism.org/2017/09/07/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2017/.
Note from Mark Contreras For our discussion on Tuesday 3/27 https://www.borrellassociates.com/loac/LOAC2018/Gian_Fulgoni_The%20Future%20of%20Digital%20Platforms%20Final.pdf
To say that journalism is dying would be underestimating the power of news telling. However, there is no doubt that how we consume news as a society is drastically changing. As social media advances and more platforms become available, people turn to social media apps and networking sites to consume daily local and international news. People are still learning about what is happening around them on a daily basis, but they are just doing it digitally. According to an article “More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News,” people are getting news from various social media sites. We may not rely on one specific network for our news because we are jumping around from site to site, jumbling information and maybe never getting the full story. The article reads, “About a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016” (Grieco). Facebook reigns supreme in terms of the largest audience of social media news consumers.
Despite what most people may believe, reading is definitely not dead. There will always be people who prefer to physically hold pieces of paper in their hands and hear the turning of pages. However, newspapers are declining because people- specifically millennials- prefer to read news online. Many people still rely on their journalists of choice, but they are signing up for online subscriptions. An article titled “Younger Adults More Likely Than Their Elders to Prefer Reading news” by Amy Mitchell provides interesting statistics that represent journalism’s current challenges. It states that reading is not dead, but younger adults are more apt to read on the web. It also tells us that eight-in-ten (81%) of people age 18-29 prefer to get their news online.
There are many impacts this is having on journalism. While reading a book in another class based on the digital revolution, we discuss some of these issues. Nicholas Carr, author of “The Shallows,” presents a lot of his research that shows how easily our brains can change. This is known as brain plasticity. As we continue to use social media and digital technology more and more, our attention spans are shrinking. We’re constantly distracted, and our eyes jump from one thing to the next. According to Carr, we have become a society of skimmers. We no longer read long articles, which is why I think people turn to social media networks for their news. They can go to Facebook, Twitter and even Snapchat to read little snippets of news without having to spend 10 minutes actually reading. Although this is unfortunate, it is the direction we are taking in terms of news, and the journalism industry has to adapt in order to survive. I think one way they can improve to keep younger people engaged is to shorten articles. If they cannot shorten them, make them appear shorter so they don’t scare people away. I think design is a huge part of it too. Making things visually attractive to young people would not only bring them in, but make them stay.
Over the years news has gone from solely being consumed via the nightly news, newspapers, and sometimes news websites. Now, news is predominantly consumed via social media. According to Bialik and Matsa, 2/3 of Americans (67%) get at least some of their news from social media (Bialik & Matsa, 2017), with the exception of older generations mainly consuming it via the nightly news.
According to a recent Pew Research Center report, “about a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016. But there is considerable variation in the extent to which each site’s news users get news from other sites, and which sites those are”. Facebook is used the most for people to get their news and people are more likely to trust Facebook to get their only source of news (Grieco, 2017).
With the rise of social media and smart phones, it has become easier and more convenient for millennials (many of which are college students) to get news updates on Twitter, Facebook, and even Snapchat. As a college student, I rarely watch live TV because I don’t have time with my class schedule and find it easier to watch my shows the next day online. If I am unable to watch my favorite shows on live TV, there is no way I’m going to be able to watch the nightly news. It is just easier for me to check my social media between classes to see what is going on in the world or get more information on a story I’ve heard about.
I think that the best way for journalists to reach millennials is to keep up with media trends. According to the Digital News Report, “46 percent of our DNR American sample named social media such as Facebook or Twitter as a source of news; that’s almost twice the number who did in 2013.” (Levy & Radcliffe, 2018) The four main social media platforms used by millennials are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Snapchat made a smart decision when it started including news reports on the app, allowing millennials to connect with friends and get their news in the same spot. Instagram is the only social media outlet of the four mentioned that has yet to actively include news updates. By teaming up with Instagram, this would give journalists an opportunity to reach millennials and supply them with news. Instagram can use its story feature to publish news updates and also use its popular page to post news stories and videos that are only one minute long but supply the viewer with enough information, along with posting a link to where they can get more information on the story. Journalists could even take things a step further and give people the option to subscribe to certain journalists and filter what type of news would be featured on the stories they see.
Works Cited:
Bialik, K., & Matsa, K. E. (2017, October 04). Key trends in social and digital news media. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/
Grieco, E. (2017, November 02). More Americans are turning to multiple social media sites for news. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/
Levy, D., & Radcliffe, D. (2018, March 26). Social media is changing our digital news habits – but to varying degrees in US and UK. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://theconversation.com/social-media-is-changing-our-digital-news-habits-but-to-varying-degrees-in-us-and-uk-60900
Now a day people are consuming the vast majority of their media content through tv, desktop, and mobile devices which is changing the way people read their news. In particular, there is a huge change amongst millennials and their media consumption as they are consuming the majority of their content via mobile devices. Advertising revenue is also on an upward slope bringing in the most revenue on digital platforms. Within this, the apps that millennials are spending the most time on are Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook (Fulgoni).
These changes in how media is consumed, directly correlates to how news is being consumed. If people, especially young people are reading less print, and watching less TV, how do news channels reach that audience, and maintain ratings? More and news sites are putting their content on social media sites, where consumers are spending such an overwhelming amount of their time, “Just under half (45%) of U.S. adults use Facebook for news. Half of Facebook’s news users get news from that social media site alone, with just one-in-five relying on three or more sites for news. By comparison, news users of LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp are particularly likely to get news on multiple social networks: Half or more of their news users get news on three or more social media sites” (Grieco).
This is very noticeable as a user. Even on snapchat, news channels like NBC have news stories, for a quick and convenient way for younger audiences to get their daily news fix. It is all about integrating news information into the consumers daily routine to create a seamless consumption experience. People want to get their news in the most convenient way, which is why transitioning news channels onto social is an effective way to maintain and expand audiences.
Also, by using social channels to spread news stories, channels are increasing readership, and helping sotry hits. According to a 2014 study by the Online News Association conference, “Half of social network site users have shared news stories, images or videos , and nearly as many (46%) have discussed a news issue or event. In addition to sharing news on social media, a small number are also covering the news themselves, by posting photos or videos of news events” (Anderson, Caumont). Viral content is dominating across all forms of media. By creating an environment on social channels for stories to be shared, and opinions to be shared, news media is creating a new was to start conversations about current events. ed
Works cited: Anderson, Monica, and Andrea Caumont. “How Social Media Is Reshaping News.” Pew Research Center, 24 Sept. 2014, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/09/24/how-social-media-is-reshaping-news/.
Fulgoni, Gian. "The Future of Digital Platforms," Local Online Advertising Conference 2018, 12 March 2018, New York City.
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
Over the past several years, the entire world of media has dramatically grown and changed. News, since it is a form of media, has had to adapt to this constantly changing and growing environment in order to keep younger audiences, in particular, interested. With the growth of new technology, comes new ways to consume media, including news.
In the past, people mainly got their news from newspapers or television. Those sources are clearly not extinct, but they are starting to decrease in popularity. People are turning to their phones and other smart devices to get their news. As of August 2017, 43% of Americans get their news online, versus 50% who get their news from TV – a 7-point difference between the two (Bialik & Matsa). However, in early 2016, that gap was a difference of 19 points, more than double what it is now (Bialik & Matsa). This narrowing of the gap displays the amount of people that are switching how they get their news, transferring from television to smartphones. A common conception is that the younger generation are the dominant users of media, which is true. However, adults are heavily using mobile phones to check their news. As of 2017, 85% of adults were getting their news from a mobile device and about two thirds of adults 65 and over are using mobile devices for news (Bialik & Matsa).
More specifically, people are turning to social media outlets to get their news. About a quarter of adults are looking at two or more social media sites for news (Grieco). Facebook has dominated the social media news atmosphere, where 45% of adults use Facebook for news and half of their Facebook news users solely get their news from Facebook (Grieco). Facebook has grown to be a place where many people scroll through to see current events updates and quickly be updated on what is happening in the world, without using any other source to be informed. Other social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, and Whatsapp usually have users that get their news from those social media sites, but also others as well (Grieco).
Various news platforms have been using this research and information to alter how they put out their news in order to attract viewers. There have been “stories” on Snapchat specifically about current events hosted by a certain platform, news channels that are available for streaming, and various television series by news networks. Many networks have been turning to Snapchat and condensing their content specifically for the app. Specifically, VGTV has been using this tactic of creating bits of content, such as a few 10 second news videos, for Snapchat (Wilks-Harper). All of these tactics are news platforms trying to adapt to the changing world of technology to keep both younger and adult audiences interested in and consuming news. News and journalism is definitely not dying, it is simply reinventing itself to conform to today’s world.
Works cited
Bialik, K., & Matsa, K. E. (2017, October 04). Key trends in social and digital news media. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/
Grieco, E. (2017, November 02). More Americans are turning to multiple social media sites for news. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/
Wilks-Harper, Ella. “How Are Publishers Using Snapchat to Attract Younger Audiences?” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 12 Nov. 2017, agency.reuters.com/en/insights/articles/articles-archive/how-are-publishers-using-snapchat-to-attract-younger-audiences.html.
The changes in the way we consume media have drastically impacted the news media industry. In what used to be strictly newspaper, radio and television has transformed during this digital age. Now it is a responsibility of the news outlets to find ways to appeal to mass audiences and break the mold of traditional journalism without losing viewers. This puts journalism outlets in a tough position. For example, millennials are known for not liking advertisements but in order for newspapers to go “digital” they must include ads in their content.
Today, people use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even Snapchat to get their news. And it’s not just the millennial generation that uses social media to get their news. In fact, “more than half (55%) of Americans ages 50 or older report getting news on social media sites. That is 10 percentage points higher than the 45% who said so in 2016” (Shearer & Gottfried). This is no surprise considering the rise in social media use and the increase of news on these sites. It is surprising how many Americans aged 50 or older are using it but that could be because their children or even grandchildren are talking about news specifically from certain social media sites.
There is one social media site in particular that seems to draw in a lot of people specifically for news. As of November of 2017, Facebook had the biggest social media news consumers. The Pew Research Center found, “Just under half (45%) of U.S. adults use Facebook for news. Half of Facebook’s news users get news from that social media site alone, with just one-in-five relying on three or more sites for news” (Grieco). This is an extremely interesting topic especially around the drama of the Presidential election as Facebook was accused of selling personal information to target political ads towards specific people. It does make sense that about half of Facebook’s users get news from that site alone because many parents and grandparents use Facebook and Facebook only as their social media.
I think journalism outlets should take advantage of these social media platforms. It is free to make an account so it only makes sense that these outlets transform with the times. I believe that it is more convenient for people to use the platforms that they are already browsing to stumble across news rather than having to seek out a news station or a physical newspaper. To reach millennials, author Jayson DeMers recommends having all content mobile-friendly. He writes, “They use mobile devices far more than desktop, and rely on online content when they’re on the go, or facing some immediate problem to which they need a solution … All your content should load quickly and easily on all mobile devices, and your efforts should be targeted specifically to mobile users” (DeMers). This is extremely true. I will not use a site if it is hard to navigate from my phone and I am on the go. I think it is also important to have social media sites user friendly.
I hope that journalism outlets can keep up with changing times and I am curious to see how they learn to adapt or even stay ahead of the curve.
Works Cited:
DeMers, Jayson. “7 Ways To Target Millennials Through Content Marketing.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 June 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/06/27/7-ways-to-target-millennials-through-content-marketing/#15fd32733e7f
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
Shearer, Elisa and Jeffrey Gottlfried. "News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017," Pew Research Center 7 Sept. 2017. Web.
The rise of the millennial generation brought along a community of journalists and media that catered to their new and evolving needs. Many millennials could hardly picture a life without their Apple iPhone’s always in their hands. The convenience of having a smart phone for a generation who is known to have less interest in worldly issues and a shorter attention span changed how people consume media. Now a days, it is very unlikely to see a college student learning about global issues, celebrity culture etc. through anything but their cellphones. ‘Americans are more likely than ever to get news from multiple social media sites, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. About a Quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 19% in 2016(More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News). With these facts in mind, many media platforms have began to change their functionality to gear towards a convenient way of seeing news. In 2018 Snapchat released a completely new format to its users, which prioritized celebrity news and other headlining topics rather than media from your friends. “Blurring the lines between professional content creators and your friends has been an interesting internet experiment but it has also produced some strange side-effects (like fake news)….. The new Snapchat seperates the social from the media. This means that the chats and stories for your friends are on the left side and the stories from publishers, creators and the community are on the right (Snapchat News).
Snapchat has become a huge platform for all different genres of media. Since the platform launched the news ‘shows’ in 2016, many young journalists have gained a lot of popularity through the application. The Snapchat NBC anchor Savannah Seller’s is often recognized by young consumers who follow her headlines on Snapchat. Her popularity is linked to Snapchat ‘ Young fans of the shows, ranging in from 18-22, said its their affinity for the hosts that make them tune into the news broadcasts, where they’ll get news on everything from the latest school shooting, to a sports upset, to Taylor Swifts latest boyfriend (Network News Reporters are Snapchat’s Biggest Stars).
With the obvious decline in newspaper and magazines, Snapchat did an excellent job with adjusting to keep magazine outlets alive and high consumer rates. The application hosts multiple popular magazine companies such as, Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, ENews, Refinery 29, People, Teen vogue and the list goes on. I think Snapchat hit the nail on the head when they combined their app with a social media and news platform. They are a good example of a platform that conformed to the recent changes in media.
If journalists looked to platforms like Snapchat instead of live TV I think that they would receive more consumers of the young age. Millennials are always scrolling through social media platforms so it is a great way to connect to the younger generation because they are more likely to pick up their cellphones rather than tune in on TV or a magazine.
Lorenz, Taylor. “Network News Reporters Are Snapchat's Biggest Stars.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 29 Jan. 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/nbcs-most-beloved-anchors-are-on-snapchat?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%2527s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2018-01-29%2B10%3A10%3A45_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Grieco, Elizabeth. “More Americans Are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News.” Pew Research Center, 2 Nov. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/.
With the rise of media and technology, the way we obtain news is very different from years past. It is way easier now than ever before to know what is going on in the news just because of technology. Now, we have access to the news at any given time of the day. Whether we have access just from having a smart phone or receiving notifications from news services we are more engaged than ever before. News has drastically shifted from print to digital which is what makes it so convenient to not only follow the news but keeps us from escaping it. News sources are able to get their stories out in more ways than one now that digital media is so widely used which is a huge benefit for news sources.
“As of spring 2017, 45% of U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device up from 36% in 2016 and 21% in 2013. The use of desktop or laptop computers for news remains steady, with 31% saying they often get news this way.” (Bialik & Matsa). The use of technology has made the news so easily accessible that it benefits the news media industry because people don’t need to put in effort to receive it. Not only is receiving media news quick, and convenient to receive digitally, we also have access through various social media platforms. Facebook is a huge social media platform that many consumers use for news. “Just under half (45%) of U.S adults use Facebook for news.” Half of Facebook’s users get news from that social media site alone, with just one-in-five relying on three or more sites for news.” (Grieco). Social media users use social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube alone to receive their news.
Millennials in particular are the biggest consumers of digital media news because millennials were brought up with the use of technology and social media. “Eighty-five percent of the millennials surveyed said keeping up with the news was at least somewhat important to them, while 69 percent get news daily. They’re just doing It on their own terms with a broad definition of what the word ‘news’ means to them.” (Maerz). People are able to obtains news on their own terms without missing out so it makes people want to know what is happening in the news since they can look into it whenever they want to. In order for millennials to stay engaged, the news content being implemented will need to be relevant to them and also content that they can consume on the go. Millennials are known for short attention spans so digital news is the best way to keep millennials interested and loyal to news stories.
Works Cited: Maerz, Jennifer. “Best Practices for Reaching a Millennial Audience.” American Press Institute, 16 Oct. 2015. Web
Bialik, Kristen and Katerina Eva Matsa. "Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media," Pew Research Center 4 Oct. 2017. Web.
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
The ways in how we consume media has drastically changed over the last 10 years. Heck, not even forty years ago did we not have access to a world wide base of information we call the Internet. We’ve gone from watching small screens at specific times for breaking news to getting alerts on our small portable telephones to keep us updated with worldwide events. With such easy access, why wouldn’t everyone just rely on his or her smart phones for news? Well according to Kristen Bialek and Katerina Eva Masta, the gap between TV and online news consumption is “narrowing”. Why would that be the case though? Well with the internet being so easy to access, tons of fake news tend to surface and the media itself tends to blow stories out of the water with minimal to no content to back up their “breaking story”. For example not too long ago Arizona’s head men’s basketball coach, Sean Miller, was accused of breaking NCAA regulations by “paying” one of his players 100,000 dollars to play for him at the University of Arizona. There was even video that leaked that had him recorded saying he planned on offering top recruit, Deandre Ayton, 100,000 to play for the university. That news was quickly rescinded as the video was “misinterpreted” and taken out of context. Well, as it may have been taken out of context, that video aired all over the social media world and opinions, tweets, hashtags, facebook rants, and all kinds of media talk was already sparked. All these people who don’t even know what the coach is being accused of is ready to have the man fired and the university stripped of any credentials and banned from championship play. Now before I even begin to start to say how unjust those peoples opinions were, we do however live in America where you are innocent until proven guilty and the NCAA allowed coach Miller to keep his job for the time being and participate in championship play. In today’s media driven world, the media tends to try and release news/information to the public before they fully did their research or fully put their stories together and that leads to more false information flowing throughout the world. According to Laurie Kellman and Jonathan Drew of the associated press, they had this to say in their article “Trust in News Media Takes a Hit During Trump Presidency”, “Answering that question accurately is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy, according to none other than Thomas Jefferson. But a year into Donald Trump’s fact-bending, media-bashing presidency, Americans are increasingly confused about who can be trusted to tell them reliably what their government and their commander in chief are doing”. Who do Americans trust? Personally, I turn to my actual television set and turn to my local news station to hear news, even though I get updates and alerts on my phone, I still find actual sets to be the most reliable source of information. Trends will continue to develop towards social media outputs, but if I was a traditional source of information, I wouldn’t change a damn thing. The old fashion, do your homework before reporting, style is by far the most reliable and will continue to maintain an audience near the same audience level some of these online media outlets are getting. I believe the trend will level out and stay around what were are right now according to Kristean Bialik and Katerina Eva Matsa’s article.
Work Cited- Bialik, Kristen and Katerina Eva Matsa. "Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media," Pew Research Center 4 Oct. 2017. Web.
Kellman, Laurie and Jonathan Drew. "Trust in News Media Takes a Hit During Trump Presidency," Associated Press 15 Jan. 2018. Web.
The news media industry has been severely impacted by the digital age that we currently live in. With a plethora of media devices out there with which to consume news media, television news is declining. Although television news is still consumed, it is quickly becoming less and less relevant when all of the news one needs is accessibly through phones, tablets, and social media. In fact, “As of spring 2017, 45% of U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device up from 36% in 2016 and 21% in 2013. The use of desktop or laptop computers for news remains steady, with 31% saying they often get news this way” (Bialik & Matsa). Additionally, a growing population of people not only get their news from their mobile devices, but many are getting them from social media sites rather than news sites. Recent Pew research confirms this, for it found that “about a quarter of all U.S. adults get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016 (Grieco). These data sets show the transformation of news media which means news outlets have to continue to adjust and predict where the digital age is going to continue to take their industry. While it is not easy to predict where digital media is going to continue t take users, news outlets have to continue to abandon their traditional ways and conform to the digital age we are at the beginning stages of. Many news outlets are trying to do so with a number od different apps with which to view news. More often are we seeing not only news apps, but news outlets are working with social media sites like Snapchat and Facebook in order to integrate their news into the social media sites. Since a growing number of people use social media and mobile devices to get their news, it is important that news outlets continue to improve their mobile content. Jayson DeMars in his article on Forbes also sees the importance in making this shift. “All your content should load quickly and easily on all mobile devices, and your efforts should be targeted specifically to mobile users” (DeMers). I agree with this statement, for there have been many times that I have closed an app for a specific news outlet if their videos or articles fail to load quick enough. Furthermore, one of the most frustrating aspects of consuming digital news media are the advertisements. News outlets need to make less intrusive and less obvious advertisements on their sites and apps. Far too many news apps and websites have videos that automatically pop up in your face and start playing an advertisement. These ads frustrate me to the point that it has an opposite effect intended by the companies, for I will close the application, most likely not revisit the application, and certainly never buy the product that popped in my face. Therefore, in my opinion, news outlets need to shift focus from their highly biased television outlets to unbiased news through digital platforms. People are interested in the news, however in todays world people want easy access, quick, and interesting content. The more rapid our society becomes, the less people will be sitting down at the television to consume news and the more they will be accessing it from their devices. News outlets know this and have been attempting to adjust, however their attempts have not convinced me that the industry knows exactly what their customers want. They must shift focus from television ratings, and offer unbiased digital content for the new wave of fast, digital news.
1. Bialik, Kristen. “Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media.” Pew Research Center, 4 Oct. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/. 2. DeMers, Jayson. “7 Ways To Target Millennials Through Content Marketing.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 June 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/06/27/7-ways-to-target-millennials-through-content-marketing/#15fd32733e7f 3. Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
The way the news is reported and consumed has been rapidly changing and adjusting to the new digital age. Social media makes it so easy to for anyone to spread a news story quickly and to a wide audience. Anyone with a smartphone can now become somewhat of a journalist with 140 characters. According to Fulgoni in The Future of Digital Platforms “Time on the internet has nearly tripled in the past seven years.” This is showing that the news is being shifted form print media and television to social media. Web advertising has also surpassed television. The future of news has now officially moved onto the web. Newspapers and news outlets now have to have a social media presence and tweet their news articles so that the mobile user can see your article and consume your media and see your advertisements. Many millennia’s like myself do not watch television to consume news they mostly use it for live sports or to watch their favorite shows. News is no longer a priority among young people. But what young people do use is twitter and social media. The more you get your content on those platforms the more traffic you will see on your mobile newspaper and news outlet. And the more advertisements will be seen. Social Media drives news. It is quick, accessible and easy to see a headline that will grab your attention. “One in four now get news from multiple social media sites” according to Elizabeth Grieco. This shows how the landscape of news is rapidly and once newspapers and television stations start to tweet clips of their newscast or articles from their newspaper then there will be a significant rise in views and clicks on their article. And of course the more clicks you generate the more you will be able to sell in advertising. The race for the newest and juiciest story has also impacted news, as we know it. As the major news outlets race for the best and juiciest story accuracy sometimes falls by the wayside. The race has lead to the question of credibility and accuracy of news stories. You now cannot believe everything you read in the news you have to wait to see as the story progresses and updates for the truth to arise. This both makes the younger generations question the news that they do read and keep updated on stories. But Social Media is not the only way people get their news. Many people still hear their news the old fashioned way. The way folks used to get their news and views across before there was a printing press or a television. Word of mouth is still the driving force of news. A family member or friend hears something that they find interesting and shares it with someone or multiple people that they know. Now what does that mean for the information receiver? Most of the time that leads to an Internet search. Once the Internet search is made many folks do not trust the news like they used to in the past. According to an article written by Kristen Bialik and Katerina Eva Matsa nobody trusts the news like they used to. Only 5% of people really trust the news that they read on social media. 20% of people really trust from major news organizations, which is increasing but still a very low number. The race for news means a less demand for accuracy. That is a shame but is also the way it needs to be. With how easy it is to get information to the masses it makes it even easier to spread wrong information. Crazy world we live in with the news now. Stay on your toes!
As a society, we have developed new ways to consume our favorite media. Whether we are still resorting to evening news and newspapers for current events, or turning to our electronic devices, individuals do still consume the same kinds of media, just through the use of other devices. Personally, I find that I will be introduced to new media or current events on social media websites and will then find myself switching from my social media platforms to google in order to find out more from a reputable news source. Social media, is definitely a way that a large percentage of adults gather their news. According to an article written by Elizabeth Grieco, “About a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016.” (Grieco.) This model shows that the percentages continue to rise as more and more people are resorting to social media platforms to receive their news. This raised a question, why? Social media has a way of tailoring the user experience. News introduced on social media platforms comes from the people that you follow and/or are friends with, so the news will essentially somehow be relevant to your life and/or beliefs. As well as the relevancy, retrieving your news via social media platforms or applications on your phone is ultimately just more convenient to the average individual. Specifically for iPhone users, there is a news application that comes pre-downloaded onto your phone. The first time that you open this application, you will be prompted to select the news sources and or topics that are of interest to you. The great things about this kind of service is that you will get instant push notifications right to your fingertips the second that any story that fits your pre-selected criteria is published. We may think that teens and young adults care less about reading and consuming news than elders, an article written by Amy Mitchell suggested that this was in fact, not the case. Mitchell explains that “When it comes to technology’s influence on America’s young adults, reading is not dead – at least not the news. When asked whether one prefers to read, watch or listen to their news, younger adults are far more likely than older ones to opt for text, and most of that reading takes place on the web.” (Mitchell.) This was extremely interesting to me as I typically would prefer to read a specific article about a news topic that I am interested in versus watching or listening to an hour long segment and waiting for the story to be spoken about. A drawback to consuming all of your news on social media websites is explained in an article by American Press Institute. This article explains that by using social media sites to check news, “the worry is that Millennials’ awareness of the world, as a result, is narrow, their discovery of events is incidental and passive, and that news is just one of many random elements in a social feed.” (“How Millennials Get News.”) Journalism outlets have to keep younger ages engaged – that’s just the hard truth. For millenials specifically, it is typical for readers to become bored quickly while watching the news when they can click a few buttons on their phones and receive a response instantaneously. There are multiple applications besides the already downloaded news application that can be used to tailor news experiences to the readers who are consuming them. The likelihood that a user will enjoy reading news articles if they feel as if the news is tailored to the kinds of topics they are already interested is much higher than the likelihood that an individual will like to flip through a paper or watch topics that are irrelevant to them before they get to the one that is. By bringing the news to users through an initial questionnaire alongside of a thumbs-up/thumbs-down rating system, it will soon be easier for algorithms to start suggesting “articles you may like” to its users bringing an even more specific tailored experience, thus keeping more people engaged in news articles, topics and current events.
Grieco, Elizabeth. “More Americans Are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News.” Pew Research Center, 2 Nov. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/.
“How Millennials Get News.” American Press Institute, 1 Oct. 2015, www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/millennials-news/.
Mitchell, Amy. “Younger Adults More Likely than Their Elders to Prefer Reading News.” Pew Research Center, 6 Oct. 2016, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/06/younger-adults-more-likely-than-their-elders-to-prefer-reading-news/.
Over the past decade the news media landscape has drastically changed, journalistically and specifically the way the public consumes media content and seeks out that content. This change is in direct accordance with the social media take-over and millennial generation’s values with how they interact with social media and the world in general. Millennials have been known as the generation of short attention spans and the supreme connection and understand of technology advances. With that being said, because of those qualities millennials have gained the expectation of media content tailored to each of them and easy to access (meaning even free), and therefore will not seek it out if it isn’t free/easy to access and tailor-made for them.
ReplyDeleteHowever, despite that, millennials still consume news media and content at a high level. They just do it in different ways than ever before. “As of spring 2017, 45% of U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device, up from 36% in 2016 and 21% in 2013. The use of desktop or laptop computers for news remains steady, with 31% saying they often get news this way. In all, 85% of Americans ever get news on a mobile device, the same proportion who do so on a desktop computer. And, among those who get news both ways, mobile devices are increasingly preferred. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of U.S. adults who get news on both mobile and desktop prefer mobile, up from 56% in 2016” (Bialik). Therefore, the online consumption of media and on-the-go consumption of media is more prevalent than ever in America, while newspapers and in some cases television news consumption are on the decline. Therefore, this has caused news media companies to have a stronger presence on both social media and their online websites than ever before with the strongly growing internet obsession in America.
In addition, social media has changed the tone in the presentation of news. “In many cases, news comes as part of social flow, something that may happen unexpectedly and serendipitously as people check to see what’s new with their network or community of friends. At other times news is something they seek out on their own. Most see news as an enjoyable or entertaining experience” (Young, 4). Therefore, millennials go to news to both be updated about the current state of the world, country, and area, but also for the inclusive aspect and entertainment aspect of news, and if the news is ‘boring’ or lacks those aspects, they’ll be less and less interested and not nearly as inclined to stay on that news channel, seek out that news site, or follow that news on social media.
Also, news media will have to again adapt on social media, with Facebook’s new news feed format. “Media companies are bracing for the changes coming to Facebook’s News Feed — the column that appears when the site or app is opened — that will favor posts by friends over material from news organizations and other businesses” (Ember). Therefore, news media will need to make their content on the same level of care as friends and family type content. Users will need to gain the desire to see media content at the same level of personal content, in order for news media to survive and thrive on Facebook. Overall, news media will need to engage further with the millennial audience to keep interest and entertainment levels up, along with making their content even easier to access for millennials who will not and do not have to go to great lengths to access their content.
Works Cited
DeleteBialik, Kristen. “Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media.” Pew Research Center, 4 Oct. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/.
Ember, Sydney. “The End of the Social News Era? Journalists Brace for Facebook's Big Change.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/business/media/facebook-news-feed-media.html.
Young, Eric. “How Millennials Get News: Inside the Habits of America’s First Digital Generation .” Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research , pp. 1–40. American Press Institute.
Lauren Tuckman
ReplyDeleteChanges in the way that we consume media have impacted the news industry in many ways. People are getting their news from many different places today; journalism outlets need to be new and up and coming to keep younger audiences engaged. It is indeed more important than to appeal to audiences to keep a large following over any type of media.
Since 2017, 67% of Americans state that they have gotten at least some of their news on social media (Shearer). There was a survey from Pew Research Center that stated that this was an increase since 2016 (Shearer). Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat have grown since 2016 with more users getting news on each site (Shearer). There are two different ways to measure the change in news on varying platforms. One way is to compare the, “share of each site’s users that get news on the site” (Shearer). The second way is to, “measure the total percentage of Americans that report seeing news on the site” (Shearer). These three platforms as well as the new enhancements are a huge source of information and news for Americans.
Social media and digital news continue to grow with mobile devices rapidly becoming one of easiest and most used way for Americans to get news (Bialik). The Pew Research Center reports several findings about today’s digital news media landscape. For instance the gap between television and online news consumption is narrowing (Bialik). In August of 2017, 43% of Americans reported that they often-retrieved news from online, only 7 percent fewer than the 50% who often get their news from television (Bialik). The gap between television and online news was 19 points in early 2016, which is more than twice as large (Bialik)). Older adults are driving the growth in mobile use today (Bialik ). “More than eight-in-ten U.S. adults get news on a mobile device now (Blalik). This number is up from 72% in 2016 (Bialik). The recent uprising has come from growth among much older Americans. About two-thirds of Americans ages 65 and above are now getting news on a mobile device, a 24 percent jump from 2016 and three times as many as it was in 2013 (Bialik).
In the media industry it is crucial to attract younger news consumers. ““Younger Thinking,” is a meta-analysis of available data about the relationship between the news industry and its up and coming consumers” (Baume). Although it’s common knowledge, studies have shown, “Its no shock,” that 21 year olds turn to Facebook for information more than 71 year olds do (Baume). Interestingly enough, younger peoples’ interest in the news, and their actual consumption of it are very different from each other. “Youngsters,” tend to expect news to find them rather than looking for news (Baume). In this case, there are many ways to improve media for young people using road signs and context, offering, “wisdom journalism,” personalizing the message, and rethinking the news site design (Baume).
Fluctuations in the way in which we utilize media have impacted the news industry in various ways. People are getting their news from numerous places such as Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat. Additionally, journalism outlets need to be changes to keep younger audiences engaged. The appeal to younger audiences is crucial in the media industry in the twenty-first century .
Works Cited
Baume, Matt. “10 Ways to Attract Younger News Consumers.” Poynter, 2 Mar. 2017, www.poynter.org/news/10-ways-attract-younger-news-consumers.
Bialik, Kristen, and Katerina Eva Matsa. “Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media.” Pew Research Center, 4 Oct. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/.
Shearer, Elisa, and Jeffrey Gottfried. “News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017.” Pew Research Center's Journalism Project, 7 Sept. 2017, www.journalism.org/2017/09/07/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2017/.
Note from Mark Contreras
ReplyDeleteFor our discussion on Tuesday 3/27
https://www.borrellassociates.com/loac/LOAC2018/Gian_Fulgoni_The%20Future%20of%20Digital%20Platforms%20Final.pdf
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteTo say that journalism is dying would be underestimating the power of news telling. However, there is no doubt that how we consume news as a society is drastically changing. As social media advances and more platforms become available, people turn to social media apps and networking sites to consume daily local and international news. People are still learning about what is happening around them on a daily basis, but they are just doing it digitally. According to an article “More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News,” people are getting news from various social media sites. We may not rely on one specific network for our news because we are jumping around from site to site, jumbling information and maybe never getting the full story. The article reads, “About a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016” (Grieco). Facebook reigns supreme in terms of the largest audience of social media news consumers.
Despite what most people may believe, reading is definitely not dead. There will always be people who prefer to physically hold pieces of paper in their hands and hear the turning of pages. However, newspapers are declining because people- specifically millennials- prefer to read news online. Many people still rely on their journalists of choice, but they are signing up for online subscriptions. An article titled “Younger Adults More Likely Than Their Elders to Prefer Reading news” by Amy Mitchell provides interesting statistics that represent journalism’s current challenges. It states that reading is not dead, but younger adults are more apt to read on the web. It also tells us that eight-in-ten (81%) of people age 18-29 prefer to get their news online.
There are many impacts this is having on journalism. While reading a book in another class based on the digital revolution, we discuss some of these issues. Nicholas Carr, author of “The Shallows,” presents a lot of his research that shows how easily our brains can change. This is known as brain plasticity. As we continue to use social media and digital technology more and more, our attention spans are shrinking. We’re constantly distracted, and our eyes jump from one thing to the next. According to Carr, we have become a society of skimmers. We no longer read long articles, which is why I think people turn to social media networks for their news. They can go to Facebook, Twitter and even Snapchat to read little snippets of news without having to spend 10 minutes actually reading. Although this is unfortunate, it is the direction we are taking in terms of news, and the journalism industry has to adapt in order to survive. I think one way they can improve to keep younger people engaged is to shorten articles. If they cannot shorten them, make them appear shorter so they don’t scare people away. I think design is a huge part of it too. Making things visually attractive to young people would not only bring them in, but make them stay.
Works Cited:
ReplyDeleteCarr, Nicholas G. The Shallows What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. W.W. Norton, 2011.
Grieco, Elizabeth. More Americans Are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News. Pew Research Center, 2 Nov. 2017.
Mitchell, Amy. Younger Adults More Likely Than Their Elders to Prefer Reading News. Pew Research Center, 6 Oct. 2016.
Over the years news has gone from solely being consumed via the nightly news, newspapers, and sometimes news websites. Now, news is predominantly consumed via social media. According to Bialik and Matsa, 2/3 of Americans (67%) get at least some of their news from social media (Bialik & Matsa, 2017), with the exception of older generations mainly consuming it via the nightly news.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a recent Pew Research Center report, “about a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016. But there is considerable variation in the extent to which each site’s news users get news from other sites, and which sites those are”. Facebook is used the most for people to get their news and people are more likely to trust Facebook to get their only source of news (Grieco, 2017).
With the rise of social media and smart phones, it has become easier and more convenient for millennials (many of which are college students) to get news updates on Twitter, Facebook, and even Snapchat. As a college student, I rarely watch live TV because I don’t have time with my class schedule and find it easier to watch my shows the next day online. If I am unable to watch my favorite shows on live TV, there is no way I’m going to be able to watch the nightly news. It is just easier for me to check my social media between classes to see what is going on in the world or get more information on a story I’ve heard about.
I think that the best way for journalists to reach millennials is to keep up with media trends. According to the Digital News Report, “46 percent of our DNR American sample named social media such as Facebook or Twitter as a source of news; that’s almost twice the number who did in 2013.” (Levy & Radcliffe, 2018) The four main social media platforms used by millennials are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Snapchat made a smart decision when it started including news reports on the app, allowing millennials to connect with friends and get their news in the same spot. Instagram is the only social media outlet of the four mentioned that has yet to actively include news updates. By teaming up with Instagram, this would give journalists an opportunity to reach millennials and supply them with news. Instagram can use its story feature to publish news updates and also use its popular page to post news stories and videos that are only one minute long but supply the viewer with enough information, along with posting a link to where they can get more information on the story. Journalists could even take things a step further and give people the option to subscribe to certain journalists and filter what type of news would be featured on the stories they see.
Works Cited:
Bialik, K., & Matsa, K. E. (2017, October 04). Key trends in social and digital news media. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/
Grieco, E. (2017, November 02). More Americans are turning to multiple social media sites for news. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/
Levy, D., & Radcliffe, D. (2018, March 26). Social media is changing our digital news habits – but to varying degrees in US and UK. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://theconversation.com/social-media-is-changing-our-digital-news-habits-but-to-varying-degrees-in-us-and-uk-60900
Now a day people are consuming the vast majority of their media content through tv, desktop, and mobile devices which is changing the way people read their news. In particular, there is a huge change amongst millennials and their media consumption as they are consuming the majority of their content via mobile devices. Advertising revenue is also on an upward slope bringing in the most revenue on digital platforms. Within this, the apps that millennials are spending the most time on are Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook (Fulgoni).
ReplyDeleteThese changes in how media is consumed, directly correlates to how news is being consumed. If people, especially young people are reading less print, and watching less TV, how do news channels reach that audience, and maintain ratings? More and news sites are putting their content on social media sites, where consumers are spending such an overwhelming amount of their time, “Just under half (45%) of U.S. adults use Facebook for news. Half of Facebook’s news users get news from that social media site alone, with just one-in-five relying on three or more sites for news. By comparison, news users of LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp are particularly likely to get news on multiple social networks: Half or more of their news users get news on three or more social media sites” (Grieco).
This is very noticeable as a user. Even on snapchat, news channels like NBC have news stories, for a quick and convenient way for younger audiences to get their daily news fix. It is all about integrating news information into the consumers daily routine to create a seamless consumption experience. People want to get their news in the most convenient way, which is why transitioning news channels onto social is an effective way to maintain and expand audiences.
Also, by using social channels to spread news stories, channels are increasing readership, and helping sotry hits. According to a 2014 study by the Online News Association conference, “Half of social network site users have shared news stories, images or videos , and nearly as many (46%) have discussed a news issue or event. In addition to sharing news on social media, a small number are also covering the news themselves, by posting photos or videos of news events” (Anderson, Caumont). Viral content is dominating across all forms of media. By creating an environment on social channels for stories to be shared, and opinions to be shared, news media is creating a new was to start conversations about current events. ed
Works cited:
Anderson, Monica, and Andrea Caumont. “How Social Media Is Reshaping News.” Pew Research Center, 24 Sept. 2014, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/09/24/how-social-media-is-reshaping-news/.
Fulgoni, Gian. "The Future of Digital Platforms," Local Online Advertising Conference 2018, 12 March 2018, New York City.
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
Over the past several years, the entire world of media has dramatically grown and changed. News, since it is a form of media, has had to adapt to this constantly changing and growing environment in order to keep younger audiences, in particular, interested. With the growth of new technology, comes new ways to consume media, including news.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, people mainly got their news from newspapers or television. Those sources are clearly not extinct, but they are starting to decrease in popularity. People are turning to their phones and other smart devices to get their news. As of August 2017, 43% of Americans get their news online, versus 50% who get their news from TV – a 7-point difference between the two (Bialik & Matsa). However, in early 2016, that gap was a difference of 19 points, more than double what it is now (Bialik & Matsa). This narrowing of the gap displays the amount of people that are switching how they get their news, transferring from television to smartphones.
A common conception is that the younger generation are the dominant users of media, which is true. However, adults are heavily using mobile phones to check their news. As of 2017, 85% of adults were getting their news from a mobile device and about two thirds of adults 65 and over are using mobile devices for news (Bialik & Matsa).
More specifically, people are turning to social media outlets to get their news. About a quarter of adults are looking at two or more social media sites for news (Grieco). Facebook has dominated the social media news atmosphere, where 45% of adults use Facebook for news and half of their Facebook news users solely get their news from Facebook (Grieco). Facebook has grown to be a place where many people scroll through to see current events updates and quickly be updated on what is happening in the world, without using any other source to be informed. Other social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, and Whatsapp usually have users that get their news from those social media sites, but also others as well (Grieco).
Various news platforms have been using this research and information to alter how they put out their news in order to attract viewers. There have been “stories” on Snapchat specifically about current events hosted by a certain platform, news channels that are available for streaming, and various television series by news networks. Many networks have been turning to Snapchat and condensing their content specifically for the app. Specifically, VGTV has been using this tactic of creating bits of content, such as a few 10 second news videos, for Snapchat (Wilks-Harper). All of these tactics are news platforms trying to adapt to the changing world of technology to keep both younger and adult audiences interested in and consuming news. News and journalism is definitely not dying, it is simply reinventing itself to conform to today’s world.
Works cited
Bialik, K., & Matsa, K. E. (2017, October 04). Key trends in social and digital news media. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/
Grieco, E. (2017, November 02). More Americans are turning to multiple social media sites for news. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/
Wilks-Harper, Ella. “How Are Publishers Using Snapchat to Attract Younger Audiences?” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 12 Nov. 2017, agency.reuters.com/en/insights/articles/articles-archive/how-are-publishers-using-snapchat-to-attract-younger-audiences.html.
The changes in the way we consume media have drastically impacted the news media industry. In what used to be strictly newspaper, radio and television has transformed during this digital age. Now it is a responsibility of the news outlets to find ways to appeal to mass audiences and break the mold of traditional journalism without losing viewers. This puts journalism outlets in a tough position. For example, millennials are known for not liking advertisements but in order for newspapers to go “digital” they must include ads in their content.
ReplyDeleteToday, people use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even Snapchat to get their news. And it’s not just the millennial generation that uses social media to get their news. In fact, “more than half (55%) of Americans ages 50 or older report getting news on social media sites. That is 10 percentage points higher than the 45% who said so in 2016” (Shearer & Gottfried). This is no surprise considering the rise in social media use and the increase of news on these sites. It is surprising how many Americans aged 50 or older are using it but that could be because their children or even grandchildren are talking about news specifically from certain social media sites.
There is one social media site in particular that seems to draw in a lot of people specifically for news. As of November of 2017, Facebook had the biggest social media news consumers. The Pew Research Center found, “Just under half (45%) of U.S. adults use Facebook for news. Half of Facebook’s news users get news from that social media site alone, with just one-in-five relying on three or more sites for news” (Grieco). This is an extremely interesting topic especially around the drama of the Presidential election as Facebook was accused of selling personal information to target political ads towards specific people. It does make sense that about half of Facebook’s users get news from that site alone because many parents and grandparents use Facebook and Facebook only as their social media.
I think journalism outlets should take advantage of these social media platforms. It is free to make an account so it only makes sense that these outlets transform with the times. I believe that it is more convenient for people to use the platforms that they are already browsing to stumble across news rather than having to seek out a news station or a physical newspaper. To reach millennials, author Jayson DeMers recommends having all content mobile-friendly. He writes, “They use mobile devices far more than desktop, and rely on online content when they’re on the go, or facing some immediate problem to which they need a solution … All your content should load quickly and easily on all mobile devices, and your efforts should be targeted specifically to mobile users” (DeMers). This is extremely true. I will not use a site if it is hard to navigate from my phone and I am on the go. I think it is also important to have social media sites user friendly.
I hope that journalism outlets can keep up with changing times and I am curious to see how they learn to adapt or even stay ahead of the curve.
Works Cited:
DeMers, Jayson. “7 Ways To Target Millennials Through Content Marketing.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 June 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/06/27/7-ways-to-target-millennials-through-content-marketing/#15fd32733e7f
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
Shearer, Elisa and Jeffrey Gottlfried. "News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017," Pew Research Center 7 Sept. 2017. Web.
The rise of the millennial generation brought along a community of journalists and media that catered to their new and evolving needs. Many millennials could hardly picture a life without their Apple iPhone’s always in their hands. The convenience of having a smart phone for a generation who is known to have less interest in worldly issues and a shorter attention span changed how people consume media. Now a days, it is very unlikely to see a college student learning about global issues, celebrity culture etc. through anything but their cellphones. ‘Americans are more likely than ever to get news from multiple social media sites, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. About a Quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 19% in 2016(More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News). With these facts in mind, many media platforms have began to change their functionality to gear towards a convenient way of seeing news. In 2018 Snapchat released a completely new format to its users, which prioritized celebrity news and other headlining topics rather than media from your friends. “Blurring the lines between professional content creators and your friends has been an interesting internet experiment but it has also produced some strange side-effects (like fake news)….. The new Snapchat seperates the social from the media. This means that the chats and stories for your friends are on the left side and the stories from publishers, creators and the community are on the right (Snapchat News).
ReplyDeleteSnapchat has become a huge platform for all different genres of media. Since the platform launched the news ‘shows’ in 2016, many young journalists have gained a lot of popularity through the application. The Snapchat NBC anchor Savannah Seller’s is often recognized by young consumers who follow her headlines on Snapchat. Her popularity is linked to Snapchat ‘ Young fans of the shows, ranging in from 18-22, said its their affinity for the hosts that make them tune into the news broadcasts, where they’ll get news on everything from the latest school shooting, to a sports upset, to Taylor Swifts latest boyfriend (Network News Reporters are Snapchat’s Biggest Stars).
With the obvious decline in newspaper and magazines, Snapchat did an excellent job with adjusting to keep magazine outlets alive and high consumer rates. The application hosts multiple popular magazine companies such as, Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, ENews, Refinery 29, People, Teen vogue and the list goes on. I think Snapchat hit the nail on the head when they combined their app with a social media and news platform. They are a good example of a platform that conformed to the recent changes in media.
If journalists looked to platforms like Snapchat instead of live TV I think that they would receive more consumers of the young age. Millennials are always scrolling through social media platforms so it is a great way to connect to the younger generation because they are more likely to pick up their cellphones rather than tune in on TV or a magazine.
“News.” News – Snap Inc., 29 Nov. 2017, www.snap.com/en-US/news/.
Lorenz, Taylor. “Network News Reporters Are Snapchat's Biggest Stars.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 29 Jan. 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/nbcs-most-beloved-anchors-are-on-snapchat?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%2527s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2018-01-29%2B10%3A10%3A45_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Grieco, Elizabeth. “More Americans Are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News.” Pew Research Center, 2 Nov. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/.
With the rise of media and technology, the way we obtain news is very different from years past. It is way easier now than ever before to know what is going on in the news just because of technology. Now, we have access to the news at any given time of the day. Whether we have access just from having a smart phone or receiving notifications from news services we are more engaged than ever before. News has drastically shifted from print to digital which is what makes it so convenient to not only follow the news but keeps us from escaping it. News sources are able to get their stories out in more ways than one now that digital media is so widely used which is a huge benefit for news sources.
ReplyDelete“As of spring 2017, 45% of U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device up from 36% in 2016 and 21% in 2013. The use of desktop or laptop computers for news remains steady, with 31% saying they often get news this way.” (Bialik & Matsa). The use of technology has made the news so easily accessible that it benefits the news media industry because people don’t need to put in effort to receive it. Not only is receiving media news quick, and convenient to receive digitally, we also have access through various social media platforms. Facebook is a huge social media platform that many consumers use for news. “Just under half (45%) of U.S adults use Facebook for news.” Half of Facebook’s users get news from that social media site alone, with just one-in-five relying on three or more sites for news.” (Grieco). Social media users use social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube alone to receive their news.
Millennials in particular are the biggest consumers of digital media news because millennials were brought up with the use of technology and social media. “Eighty-five percent of the millennials surveyed said keeping up with the news was at least somewhat important to them, while 69 percent get news daily. They’re just doing It on their own terms with a broad definition of what the word ‘news’ means to them.” (Maerz). People are able to obtains news on their own terms without missing out so it makes people want to know what is happening in the news since they can look into it whenever they want to. In order for millennials to stay engaged, the news content being implemented will need to be relevant to them and also content that they can consume on the go. Millennials are known for short attention spans so digital news is the best way to keep millennials interested and loyal to news stories.
Works Cited:
Maerz, Jennifer. “Best Practices for Reaching a Millennial Audience.” American Press Institute, 16 Oct. 2015. Web
Bialik, Kristen and Katerina Eva Matsa. "Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media," Pew Research Center 4 Oct. 2017. Web.
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
The ways in how we consume media has drastically changed over the last 10 years. Heck, not even forty years ago did we not have access to a world wide base of information we call the Internet. We’ve gone from watching small screens at specific times for breaking news to getting alerts on our small portable telephones to keep us updated with worldwide events. With such easy access, why wouldn’t everyone just rely on his or her smart phones for news? Well according to Kristen Bialek and Katerina Eva Masta, the gap between TV and online news consumption is “narrowing”. Why would that be the case though? Well with the internet being so easy to access, tons of fake news tend to surface and the media itself tends to blow stories out of the water with minimal to no content to back up their “breaking story”. For example not too long ago Arizona’s head men’s basketball coach, Sean Miller, was accused of breaking NCAA regulations by “paying” one of his players 100,000 dollars to play for him at the University of Arizona. There was even video that leaked that had him recorded saying he planned on offering top recruit, Deandre Ayton, 100,000 to play for the university. That news was quickly rescinded as the video was “misinterpreted” and taken out of context. Well, as it may have been taken out of context, that video aired all over the social media world and opinions, tweets, hashtags, facebook rants, and all kinds of media talk was already sparked. All these people who don’t even know what the coach is being accused of is ready to have the man fired and the university stripped of any credentials and banned from championship play. Now before I even begin to start to say how unjust those peoples opinions were, we do however live in America where you are innocent until proven guilty and the NCAA allowed coach Miller to keep his job for the time being and participate in championship play. In today’s media driven world, the media tends to try and release news/information to the public before they fully did their research or fully put their stories together and that leads to more false information flowing throughout the world. According to Laurie Kellman and Jonathan Drew of the associated press, they had this to say in their article “Trust in News Media Takes a Hit During Trump Presidency”, “Answering that question accurately is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy, according to none other than Thomas Jefferson. But a year into Donald Trump’s fact-bending, media-bashing presidency, Americans are increasingly confused about who can be trusted to tell them reliably what their government and their commander in chief are doing”. Who do Americans trust? Personally, I turn to my actual television set and turn to my local news station to hear news, even though I get updates and alerts on my phone, I still find actual sets to be the most reliable source of information. Trends will continue to develop towards social media outputs, but if I was a traditional source of information, I wouldn’t change a damn thing. The old fashion, do your homework before reporting, style is by far the most reliable and will continue to maintain an audience near the same audience level some of these online media outlets are getting. I believe the trend will level out and stay around what were are right now according to Kristean Bialik and Katerina Eva Matsa’s article.
ReplyDeleteWork Cited-
Bialik, Kristen and Katerina Eva Matsa. "Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media," Pew Research Center 4 Oct. 2017. Web.
Kellman, Laurie and Jonathan Drew. "Trust in News Media Takes a Hit During Trump Presidency," Associated Press 15 Jan. 2018. Web.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/01/sports/ncaabasketball/sean-miller-arizona.html
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe news media industry has been severely impacted by the digital age that we currently live in. With a plethora of media devices out there with which to consume news media, television news is declining. Although television news is still consumed, it is quickly becoming less and less relevant when all of the news one needs is accessibly through phones, tablets, and social media. In fact, “As of spring 2017, 45% of U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device up from 36% in 2016 and 21% in 2013. The use of desktop or laptop computers for news remains steady, with 31% saying they often get news this way” (Bialik & Matsa). Additionally, a growing population of people not only get their news from their mobile devices, but many are getting them from social media sites rather than news sites. Recent Pew research confirms this, for it found that “about a quarter of all U.S. adults get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016 (Grieco). These data sets show the transformation of news media which means news outlets have to continue to adjust and predict where the digital age is going to continue to take their industry.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is not easy to predict where digital media is going to continue t take users, news outlets have to continue to abandon their traditional ways and conform to the digital age we are at the beginning stages of. Many news outlets are trying to do so with a number od different apps with which to view news. More often are we seeing not only news apps, but news outlets are working with social media sites like Snapchat and Facebook in order to integrate their news into the social media sites. Since a growing number of people use social media and mobile devices to get their news, it is important that news outlets continue to improve their mobile content. Jayson DeMars in his article on Forbes also sees the importance in making this shift. “All your content should load quickly and easily on all mobile devices, and your efforts should be targeted specifically to mobile users” (DeMers). I agree with this statement, for there have been many times that I have closed an app for a specific news outlet if their videos or articles fail to load quick enough. Furthermore, one of the most frustrating aspects of consuming digital news media are the advertisements. News outlets need to make less intrusive and less obvious advertisements on their sites and apps. Far too many news apps and websites have videos that automatically pop up in your face and start playing an advertisement. These ads frustrate me to the point that it has an opposite effect intended by the companies, for I will close the application, most likely not revisit the application, and certainly never buy the product that popped in my face.
Therefore, in my opinion, news outlets need to shift focus from their highly biased television outlets to unbiased news through digital platforms. People are interested in the news, however in todays world people want easy access, quick, and interesting content. The more rapid our society becomes, the less people will be sitting down at the television to consume news and the more they will be accessing it from their devices. News outlets know this and have been attempting to adjust, however their attempts have not convinced me that the industry knows exactly what their customers want. They must shift focus from television ratings, and offer unbiased digital content for the new wave of fast, digital news.
Works Cited
Delete1. Bialik, Kristen. “Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media.” Pew Research Center, 4 Oct. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/04/key-trends-in-social-and-digital-news-media/.
2. DeMers, Jayson. “7 Ways To Target Millennials Through Content Marketing.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 June 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/06/27/7-ways-to-target-millennials-through-content-marketing/#15fd32733e7f
3. Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
The way the news is reported and consumed has been rapidly changing and adjusting to the new digital age. Social media makes it so easy to for anyone to spread a news story quickly and to a wide audience. Anyone with a smartphone can now become somewhat of a journalist with 140 characters. According to Fulgoni in The Future of Digital Platforms “Time on the internet has nearly tripled in the past seven years.” This is showing that the news is being shifted form print media and television to social media. Web advertising has also surpassed television.
ReplyDeleteThe future of news has now officially moved onto the web. Newspapers and news outlets now have to have a social media presence and tweet their news articles so that the mobile user can see your article and consume your media and see your advertisements. Many millennia’s like myself do not watch television to consume news they mostly use it for live sports or to watch their favorite shows. News is no longer a priority among young people. But what young people do use is twitter and social media. The more you get your content on those platforms the more traffic you will see on your mobile newspaper and news outlet. And the more advertisements will be seen.
Social Media drives news. It is quick, accessible and easy to see a headline that will grab your attention. “One in four now get news from multiple social media sites” according to Elizabeth Grieco. This shows how the landscape of news is rapidly and once newspapers and television stations start to tweet clips of their newscast or articles from their newspaper then there will be a significant rise in views and clicks on their article. And of course the more clicks you generate the more you will be able to sell in advertising.
The race for the newest and juiciest story has also impacted news, as we know it. As the major news outlets race for the best and juiciest story accuracy sometimes falls by the wayside. The race has lead to the question of credibility and accuracy of news stories. You now cannot believe everything you read in the news you have to wait to see as the story progresses and updates for the truth to arise. This both makes the younger generations question the news that they do read and keep updated on stories.
But Social Media is not the only way people get their news. Many people still hear their news the old fashioned way. The way folks used to get their news and views across before there was a printing press or a television. Word of mouth is still the driving force of news. A family member or friend hears something that they find interesting and shares it with someone or multiple people that they know. Now what does that mean for the information receiver? Most of the time that leads to an Internet search. Once the Internet search is made many folks do not trust the news like they used to in the past. According to an article written by Kristen Bialik and Katerina Eva Matsa nobody trusts the news like they used to. Only 5% of people really trust the news that they read on social media. 20% of people really trust from major news organizations, which is increasing but still a very low number.
The race for news means a less demand for accuracy. That is a shame but is also the way it needs to be. With how easy it is to get information to the masses it makes it even easier to spread wrong information. Crazy world we live in with the news now. Stay on your toes!
Works Cited
DeleteBialik, Kristen and Katerina Eva Matsa. "Key Trends in Social and Digital News Media," Pew Research Center 4 Oct. 2017. Web.
Fulgoni, Gian. "The Future of Digital Platforms," Local Online Advertising Conference 2018, 12 March 2018, New York City.
Grieco, Elizabeth. "More Americans are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News," Pew Research Center 2 Nov. 2017. Web.
As a society, we have developed new ways to consume our favorite media. Whether we are still resorting to evening news and newspapers for current events, or turning to our electronic devices, individuals do still consume the same kinds of media, just through the use of other devices.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I find that I will be introduced to new media or current events on social media websites and will then find myself switching from my social media platforms to google in order to find out more from a reputable news source. Social media, is definitely a way that a large percentage of adults gather their news. According to an article written by Elizabeth Grieco, “About a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) get news from two or more social media sites, up from 15% in 2013 and 18% in 2016.” (Grieco.) This model shows that the percentages continue to rise as more and more people are resorting to social media platforms to receive their news. This raised a question, why? Social media has a way of tailoring the user experience. News introduced on social media platforms comes from the people that you follow and/or are friends with, so the news will essentially somehow be relevant to your life and/or beliefs.
As well as the relevancy, retrieving your news via social media platforms or applications on your phone is ultimately just more convenient to the average individual. Specifically for iPhone users, there is a news application that comes pre-downloaded onto your phone. The first time that you open this application, you will be prompted to select the news sources and or topics that are of interest to you. The great things about this kind of service is that you will get instant push notifications right to your fingertips the second that any story that fits your pre-selected criteria is published.
We may think that teens and young adults care less about reading and consuming news than elders, an article written by Amy Mitchell suggested that this was in fact, not the case. Mitchell explains that “When it comes to technology’s influence on America’s young adults, reading is not dead – at least not the news. When asked whether one prefers to read, watch or listen to their news, younger adults are far more likely than older ones to opt for text, and most of that reading takes place on the web.” (Mitchell.) This was extremely interesting to me as I typically would prefer to read a specific article about a news topic that I am interested in versus watching or listening to an hour long segment and waiting for the story to be spoken about.
A drawback to consuming all of your news on social media websites is explained in an article by American Press Institute. This article explains that by using social media sites to check news, “the worry is that Millennials’ awareness of the world, as a result, is narrow, their discovery of events is incidental and passive, and that news is just one of many random elements in a social feed.” (“How Millennials Get News.”)
Journalism outlets have to keep younger ages engaged – that’s just the hard truth. For millenials specifically, it is typical for readers to become bored quickly while watching the news when they can click a few buttons on their phones and receive a response instantaneously. There are multiple applications besides the already downloaded news application that can be used to tailor news experiences to the readers who are consuming them. The likelihood that a user will enjoy reading news articles if they feel as if the news is tailored to the kinds of topics they are already interested is much higher than the likelihood that an individual will like to flip through a paper or watch topics that are irrelevant to them before they get to the one that is. By bringing the news to users through an initial questionnaire alongside of a thumbs-up/thumbs-down rating system, it will soon be easier for algorithms to start suggesting “articles you may like” to its users bringing an even more specific tailored experience, thus keeping more people engaged in news articles, topics and current events.
Grieco, Elizabeth. “More Americans Are Turning to Multiple Social Media Sites for News.” Pew Research Center, 2 Nov. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/02/more-americans-are-turning-to-multiple-social-media-sites-for-news/.
Delete“How Millennials Get News.” American Press Institute, 1 Oct. 2015, www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/millennials-news/.
Mitchell, Amy. “Younger Adults More Likely than Their Elders to Prefer Reading News.” Pew Research Center, 6 Oct. 2016, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/06/younger-adults-more-likely-than-their-elders-to-prefer-reading-news/.