Newspapers - Decline In Print Content

 

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 5 & 6. Pick three that you think are interesting and bullet point them here. Why did you pick those three in particular? 

• Six in ten UK adults claim to use some form of online intermediary (social media, search engine or news aggregator) for their news. Meta (39%) and Google (34%) services are the most commonly used intermediaries
• While the BBC, across its own services on TV, radio and online, has the highest reach of any news provider, reaching 39% of this age group, TikTok (31%), YouTube (30%), Instagram (24%) and Facebook (21%) are the most-used individual access points for news. These services host news from other providers which may include established news brands such as the BBC.
• TV and newspapers are used more by older people: nine in ten adults aged 75 and over use TV (including on-demand) and almost half use newspapers (both print and online) while only four in ten use online providers with just two in ten use social media for news.

They all represent the era we live in nowadays and how different age groups and their norms go through life.

2) Now look at the motivations for following news which differs by age on pages 7 & 8. What are the main reasons people gave for following news? What are the percentages? 

To know what was going on across the UK (47%), in their region (45%) and around the world (45%).

3) Look at the platforms used, by age on page 9. What trends do you notice based on the platforms used and by the different age groups?

Tv is mostly used overall whilst newspapers are decreasing because of digitalisation of news and most things.

4) Look at how online news continues to be a key platform for receiving news on page 14. How does the internet enable audiences to access the news in different ways? Can you provide any examples of news organisations with percentages? 

This ranges from news publishers, including established brands such as the BBC or press titles, through to online intermediaries.

e.g. Meta services combined (39%) continue to be the most used intermediaries among all UK adults.

5) Look at the news brands (print newspapers and digital offerings) on page 20. Can you provide percentages of readership of print vs. online?

71% - Online

12-22% - Print

6) Looking again at page 20 for news brands - how are print newspapers rated by their metrics - can you offer the different metrics with percentages? 

By their regular readers when evaluating them on metrics such as accuracy; 74% of regular users rate newspapers highly (7-10), 70% for impartiality and 73% for trustworthiness.

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 was one of the main sources of information for audiences but now it is decreasing due to the increase in digital content

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

The Independent was a broadsheet newspaper established in 1986. In an age where Rupert Murdoch has reduced printing costs and his papers reigned supreme.

3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?

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?

Lebedev confirmed in February 2016 that the Independent would cease printing at the end of the following month.

5) How do online newspapers make money?

Online newspapers make money through the amount of users/ readers they have and paywalls.

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

There may be fake news accusations.

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

It will be the death of print media because it is everywhere.

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 think online news should be free because everyone has a right to know what is going on in the world. 

No it isn't a concern, times change.