Every year, Reuters releases one of the most in-depth studies about how digital news is consumed and processed around the globe. The brand new Digital News Report 2016 is packed with 124 pages of in-depth insights, specifically analyzing how users in 26 countries receive “the news.”
If your brand creates and publishes any kind of digital content (in the U.S. or abroad), understanding the key findings of this report is essential for maximizing the reach and effectiveness of your content. For a big picture view of some of the changes in content creation and distribution this report discusses, see these BuzzPlant Blog posts:
Digital Media & The News
A few quick highlights…
- 51% say they use social media as a source of news.
- 44% use Facebook for finding, consuming, and sharing news.
- 12% of 18-24 year olds in the U.S. now use Snapchat Discover.
The way we look for news is changing, reports Reuters. Surveyed audiences responded to the statement, “I am happy for news to be selected…” with these answers:
- “…based automatically on what I’ve read before.” – 36%
- “…based on what editors have selected.” – 30%
- “… based automatically on what friends have read.” – 22%
Of course, video is shaking up the way we discover and consume news:
- 33% use online video news in the U.S.
- 22% use online video in the EU.
And easily one of the biggest shifts in media over the last couple of years is the migration to smartphones, which have become the world’s primary computing devices. “Mobile is becoming the number one device for news,” reports Reuters. (Did you know, for example, that the majority of Facebook users are mobile only? Not just desktop and mobile, but mobile only!)
What Issues Threaten Digital News?
Adblockers, low trust levels, and paywalls are just a few of the issues. Additionally, many publishers aren’t sure which business models (if they even exist yet) should be pursued going forward.
How Are Publishers Winning in the Digital Space?
Discovery is huge. That is to say, if you can be the platform or the publisher that’s a part of your audience’s discovery phase, you can grow your audience (along with their trust and loyalty) in big ways. As indicated by the research, consumers aren’t reluctant to be guided to the right content. They actually like it.
Check out the full report for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments section. Where do you see the future of content distribution? How do you think publishers will hold up in this time of transition?
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