Chalk another one up to social media as the new frontier in news - now we are finding out that people not only get their news from different methods of social media, but also feel that by doing so, it makes them more socially and civically active.
This revelation comes from a study conducted by Pew Research Center called “Understanding the Participatory News Consumer.”
This study provides a great snapshot into the way people get their news on a daily basis. While some of the information is not earth shattering, (for instance, only five percent of respondents say they read a local newspaper each day - not breaking news to the newspaper industry!) the findings may surprise some while providing great ammunition for those who advocate for social media. The findings show that people’s participation in the news is greater than ever before, not only as the audience but also as distributors of news. Companies, especially those involved in advocacy campaigns, should take notice of this new role. According to the study, “Thirty-seven percent of Internet users have contributed to the creation of news, commented about it, or disseminated it via postings on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.”
Another interesting finding shows that more than 80 percent of online news consumers say they receive and/or share links to news stories everyday. This may seem the norm to some who feel like they get a random email forwarded to them by a friend or relative everyday, or to PR professionals like me whose life revolves around moving stories, but I find this telling. The population’s Internet news habits are part of a social experience where people not only swap emails but post stories on Facebook and Tweet about them on Twitter. This not only spreads the news but opens up a discussion on that specific subject or story. Here is where people post stories:
In addition to where and how people get their news and information, the study gives us another interesting little tidbit, which shows us why people pay attention to the news:
“Some 72 percent of American news consumers say they follow the news because they enjoy talking with others about what is happening in the world and 69 percent say keeping up with the news is a social or civic obligation.”
The 72 percent represents all news consumers, no matter where and how they receive their information. Imagine how much more powerful and popular social media could be if the entire 72 percent who follow the news to be more socially engaged would turn to these social media outlets like blogs and networking sites to get their news. The numbers would be even more staggering than they already are. In turn, blogging for example, would have the potential to create and “report” even more news than it already does. You will see below that the Internet still lags behind television as the primary news source.
To help understand where people go for their news each day, the report provided the following breakdown. Interestingly, it shows that people may get the news from a combination of sources:
Most people get their news from a combination of platforms both on- and offline. As the study found:
“Americans today routinely get their news from multiple sources and a mix of platforms. Nine in 10 American adults (92 percent) get news from multiple platforms on a typical day, with half of those using four to six platforms daily. Fully 59 percent get news from a combination of online and offline sources on a typical day. Just over a third (38 percent) rely solely on offline sources, and two percent rely exclusively on the Internet for their daily news.”
This study affirms that companies looking to engage in advocacy should be using the Internet and social media, not only to reach their audience, but to empower that audience to create and distribute its news. In an advocacy or issue campaign, you need to use every resource that is available to you, and this report shows that people can not only help you spread your message, but they’d also like to be engaged in the issues and the news.
Pat heads 720's media practice, bringing to the firm and its clients more than a decade working in all facets of communications including campaigns, government and the private sector.
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