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Digital Media Landscape 2020
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Suyashi Smridhi
4:30
Hello and welcome to a special lecture on ‘Digital Media Landscape 2020’ by Nic Newman.
4:31
Nic Newman is a journalist and digital strategist who played a key role in shaping the BBC's internet services for over more than a decade. He was a founding member of the BBC News Website, leading international coverage as World Editor (1997-2001). He is also a Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Oxford University.
4:34
Nic Newman begins the discussion by talking about the launch of Reuters India Digital News Report at Asian College of Journalism last year.
4:36
At The Reuters Institute for Journalism, University of Oxford, Newman does research about social media.
4:37
Through his presentation, Newman explains the role of the media and how it has been changing.
4:39
Newman deliberates over the Reuters Digital Media Reports. "Our ambition is to add these reports to half the world." In 2020-21, they plan to provide an integrated report.
4:40
4:41
Newman talks about the survey methodology, its advantages and disadvantages. While mentioning that the survey is independent, he discusses the involvement of a polling agency, sponsors and supporters.
4:42
Newman: "These days, in the US, online is the main way people access news." By showing a graph, Newman asserts that TV news broadcasting has declined over the years in the US. "Social media usage increased to 50% when Trump was elected," he adds.
4:45
4:46
Bringing in the media landscape of Brazil, Newman, citing the Reuters report, says that TV remains the most important media. However, he emphasizes that people use social media more for news, citing that print media has halved in Brazil since 2013.
4:47
According to Newman, in India, TV remains the most popular. He feels that digital platforms are more popular with young and affluent elites.
4:48
Newman: "The main source of news for people under 35 is online, whereas for most people above 35 is TV." He feels that people who grew up with internet prefer it because of its convenience.
4:49
What is your main source of news?
Your smartphone (92.9% | 13 votes)
 
Newspaper (7.1% | 1 vote)
 
Television (0% | 0 votes)
 
Total Votes: 14
4:50
Newman shows a graph for UK  which captures the growth of smartphone in the country. The vast majority of people accessed content from smartphones by 2019.
4:51
Newman also believes that the format of news will be increasingly shaped by the way it is accessed. "The business models will be also affected by the same," he adds.
4:53
By interacting with students, Newman tries to figure out which device they use first in order to access news. "28% people in UK say they get it from smartphones," says Newman.
4:55
"In terms of changes over time, people in the UK used to read newspapers and briefed themselves in trains while going to office," Newman points out. Now, he feels that people are addicted to smartphones.
4:56
Newman asserts that it is harder to grab quality attention. "Many of them are watching Netflix or hearing podcasts."
4:58
The question of retaining audience attention is a challenge in Journalism, according to Newman. In terms of mobile phones, India is among the top countries in the world with high mobile phone usage.
4:59
5:00
According to the Reuters India Digital News Report survey, smartphones are the main device for online news.
5:02
Talking about the pandemic, Newman says that the shock brought about by COVID has made people think and consume news differently. A new survey in six countries was conducted to understand how COVID changed their news consuming habits.
5:03
The report found that there was an increase in TV viewership where people found TV to be the most trusted source. Newman feels that, in the UK, the increase in news consumption from TV is only a temporary phenomenon.
5:04
Newman: "The circulation of print decreased in terms of consumption because of its inability in physical distribution due to the virus."
5:05
5:06
"Information really matters," adds Newman. He also mentions that because of the growth of networks like Zoom during the pandemic, people had to learn new online skills.
5:07
"Coronavirus has increased the demand for news but there is far less money to produce it because advertisers are pulling out," says Newman. While Facebook and Google are benefiting from the growth, local newspapers are suffering.
5:08
Newman: "There has been an increasing shift to paid content. Media companies are rethinking their business models."
5:10
Do you think digital media is the future of journalism?
Yes (88.9% | 8 votes)
 
No (11.1% | 1 vote)
 
Total Votes: 9
5:11
Discussing about media revenues, Newman talks about how the Reuters report surveyed digital subscriptions. "There is a 20% rise in US, which has doubled in the last few years. The increase in digital subscriptions has been up to 40% in Norway. India, however, is much behind."
5:12
But subscriptions are not the only model according to Newman. People are also donating to media houses.
5:14
Newman feels that donations are a better model and they will only get better in the future. He gives the examples of Guardian, Vox and other local UK newspapers, who partly rely on public donations.
5:16
5:17
Steering the conversation towards trust in news, Newman points out that the overall figure fell by 4% when it comes to trust in news. It now stands at 38% as per the Reuters Report.
5:18
Newman: "Some of the biggest falls are in places with great polarization of masses like China and Hong Kong."
5:20
"In India, the trust in news is 36% as per the 2019 report, which is not very high," says Newman. He then discusses the example of Britain where, After 2017, a fall in trust has happened in those who are Left-inclined, mostly due to the Brexit issue.
5:21
Do you believe in a neutral and objective media?
Yes (62.5% | 5 votes)
 
No (37.5% | 3 votes)
 
Total Votes: 8
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