Blog tasks: The decline in print media

Part 1: Ofcom report into news consumption

Read this Ofcom report on the consumption of news in the UK and answer the following questions (bullet points/short answers are fine):

1) Look at the headlines from the report on page 6. Pick three that you think are interesting and bullet point them here. Why did you pick those three in particular?  

"TikTok’s reach for news has increased from 2020 (1%) to 2022 (7%). Half of its user base (for news) are aged 16-24." - I think this information is very interesting as is shows the change in how young people take in news.

"Different age groups consume news very differently; younger age groups are much more likely to use the internet and social media for news, whereas their older counterparts favour print, radio and TV." - This one is builds on the previous one. It just show's the difference between the older generation and the younger ones.

"Social media is overtaking traditional channels for news among teens. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are now their top three most used sources for news. Meanwhile many sources have seen decreases since 2021, with reach of BBC One/Two decreasing to 24% in 2022 (down from 35% in 2021)." - Again, builds and how the modern world is adapting the the internet and it's development.

2) Look at the overall summary for adults on pages 7-8. What are the key points on newspapers? 

Reach of TV (74%), and internet (66%) platforms remains steady. There is some evidence of longer term erosion of radio reach

(40% in 2022 down from 44% in 2018).

• Reach of print/online newspapers decreased from 2020 (47%) to 2022 (38%), with the previous trend of steady decreases likely

exacerbated by the pandemic. Its reach doubles for younger groups when online newspaper reach is added to print.

• The differences between platforms used across age groups are striking; younger age groups continue to be more likely to use the

internet and social media for news, whereas their older counterparts favour print, radio and TV.

• At a platform level, attitudes towards news provision (measures such as quality, accuracy, trustworthiness and impartiality)

remain consistent with 2020, with TV performing strongest, and social media performing least well.

3) Look at the statistics on page 13. What do you notice about newspapers and how has it changed in recent years?

It has decreased drastically. It nearly halfed compared to the other ones which went down by a couple % points.

4) Now look at the age demographics for news consumption on page 16. What age demographic groups are most and least likely to read newspapers and what are the percentages? 

55 years+ is much more likely then other ones. For 75 year olds it is up to 55% while 16-25 is 10%.

5) Look at the newspaper-specific data on page 36. Which are the most popular newspaper titles? 

Daily Mail,  The Sun, The Metro.

6) Now look at the total newspaper reach of print and online on page 39. How has this decreased over the last three years?

Online has stayed the same but print has gone down 14%.

Part 2: Factsheet - The death of print media

Go to our Media Factsheet archive and open Factsheet 165: The death of print media. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or you can find it online here - you'll need to log in using your Greenford Google login.

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks (bullet points/short answers are fine):

1) What has happened to print media in the last 30 years?

It's dying.

2) Why is the Independent newspaper such a good case study for the decline in print media?

Because it died, or at least in print form.

3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?

The newspaper’s selling line was, until 2011, “free from political bias,

free from proprietorial influence”, and the reporting somewhat reflected

this; in the last decade of its publication the Independent became known

for its unorthodox and campaigning front pages.

4) What did the then-owner of the Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, say about the newspaper's digital-only future?

“The newspaper industry is changing, and that change is being driven by readers. They’re showing us that the future is

digital. This decision preserves the Independent brand and allows us to continue to invest in the high quality editorial content that is attracting

more and more readers to our online platforms.”

5) How do online newspapers make money?

Advertising.

6) What did the Independent's longest-serving editor Simon Kelner warn regarding the switch to digital?

“For me, the power of the Independent came from the variety of voices, the originality in its design and the iconoclastic feel of the paper. It is very difficult to replicate that in digital form. And it is even more difficult to do that with a paper like the Independent.” There is also a question of audience reach. The Independent are hoping to rival the biggest of the online news sites, BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post, by building on their existing reputation whilst introducing lighter, shorter, and more ‘offbeat’ shareable content such as “Horse named after Donald Trump castrated for being workshy.”

7) What is the concern with fake news? What does 'post-truth' refer to?

Online news sites are easy to set up, and the simple news format is easy to replicate. Unlike printed media, you do not need the money, publisher, or industry access to ‘sell’ or share your message. Together with this and the prevalence of social media, online news is now faster to produce and then share to a global audience. What is more, you don’t always have a context when reading/sharing online content. For example, a report in a highly satirical print publication such as Private Eye may contain exaggeration for comedic purposes. This does not become an issue of ‘fake news’ because the source is clear – you’re reading the printed copy – and most readers are familiar with the institutional values of the magazine. Equally, a site like The Onion, a farcical newspaper, which does use the conventions of a ‘straight’ news organisation, is open about its use of satire, and is widely understood to use exaggeration and absurd content for comedic purposes. These are not necessarily ‘fake news’ and, if they were shared on social media, the wider audience would likely be able to identify the satire.

8) What is your view on the decline in print media? Should news be free? Is it a concern that established media brands such as the Independent can no longer afford to exist as a printed newspaper?

I and every other person my age dose not care for print media. If it dies or if it survives I don't care. The Independent is a business so why would I care if they die or not.