Newspapers: The decline in print media

 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."

 It goes to show how TikTok was successful in reaching its target audience and bring in a much larger audience in 4-5 years compared to newspaper industry which has mostly failed in attaining that reach. Even using the app TikTok which is pulling in millions of views each post.

"Reach of print/online newspapers has seen a decrease from 2020 (47%) to 2022 (38%)."

This is an evident reason as to why print newspapers will die in the future not so much online newspapers but the decline of it is definitely inevitable.

"Social media is overtaking traditional channels for news among teens."

Social media apps such as Instagram, TikTok and Youtube have all successfully targeted a younger audience. Perhaps it is due to the short attention span that some teens have. Apps like TikTok specialise in giving news in short 30 second videos that can generate millions of views. As opposed to newspapers which have shortened their size but it requires a much more in depth reading of the tabloid or broadsheet in order to understand what the news is.

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

"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."

News papers do not attract a younger audience. This is due to the rise of social media. However,  adults prefer print newspapers. This means that print newspapers aren't attracting a younger audience which can help them become more successful although it is quite difficult due to social media apps like Instagram who have a reach of 46% between ages 16-24.

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

Newspapers have declined significantly from 2018 around 40% to 2022 which is 24%.It has changed massively over the years this can be due to the rise of the internet. The dominance of TV and even radio which has adopted new ways to attract a younger audience whether that be through Newsbeat or podcasts with celebrities they have found an innovative way to get that younger audience.

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? 

Much more older individuals prefer to read newspapers around 51% of the 59% of ages 75+ like to read print newspapers. A staggering difference compared to the younger side of things 10% of ages 16-24.

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

Daily mail, The Sun and The Guardian are some of the more popular newspaper titles.

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

The impact of Covid have skewed these numbers slightly. More people around Covid went online which increased numbers by 1% and have dropped by one percent right after it hit 2022. The print side of newspapers have declined by a lot aswell.

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?

Declined massively. Due to the rise of the internet it was quite inevitable. The digital era has destroyed several industries including print media. However certain audiences prefer print in some areas like magazines with yearly issues and great quality like The Gentlewoman.

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

The Independent would cease printing at the end of the following month. The successful

in paper was sold to Johnston Press, and the news organisation would take an online focus.

3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?

The reason why the Independent newspaper was famous was because following an ever decreasing circulation,  Lebedev confirmed in February 2016 that the Independent would cease printing at the end of the following the month. The once successful paper was sold to Johnston Press, and the news organisation would take an online focus. Bascially showcasing the rapid descent into the use of digital media in the future.

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

Lebedev said "The newspaper industry is changing, and the change is being driven by readers. They're showing us the future is digital. 

5) How do online newspapers make money?

Online newspapers make money through subscriptions and paywalls, advertising, donations and sponsored content.

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

Simon Kelner said " 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."

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

The term "post-truth" prefers to a situation or cultural phenomenon where emotional appeal and personal beliefs have a greater influence on public opinion than objective facts and rational arguments. It has grown with the rise of social media. The concern with fake news is now amplified with the rise of social media since the unfiltered reach that social media has and the increase of citizen journalism.

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?

Like Simon Kelner said having that originality and unique feel of the print side of newspapers is something that many desire so I don't believe that the decline in print media is a completely good. Media brands such as the Independent despite many differed views of the Independent they do produce quality newspapers and the decline of their print means a negative impact on journalism which reduces their quality of newspapers. Digital platforms are also mostly untrustworthy the internet is a very fake place at times which can scare away certain audiences despite the billions that visit the internet.