Developments in the digital world

In US 39% get news online or from mobile devices - up from 34% in 2010

31% have a tablet - about 7% in 2011

45% have smartphones - 35% in 2011

64% of tablet and smartphone owners use them for news every week - 37% every day

How people get news

72% hear about news events from family and friends in person or on the phone

15% get most news from social media (25% among 18-25 year olds)

7% get most news from email

Vast majority then seek out the full news stories to find out more

Cable News channel audiences

Cable audiences peaking - only 1 pc growth (CNN, Fox, MSNBC) despite Presidential election - evening audiences smaller than 2008

CNN lost 4% - Fox flat at 1.9 million and MSNBC now a firm second at 818,000 and CNN third at 626,000

Network TV news audience

In US 22 million watch CBS, NBC or ABC - a fall of about 2% from 2011

CBS only one that grew but other two still have large audiences

local TV

Average loss across local CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox stations was 6%

Late night local news had audience of 24.2 million vs 22.1 million for network evening news

Audio

Listening as popular as ever and more formats but news is a smaller portion of listening

Number of cellphone owners streaming content in their cards has tripled NPR - drop in AM-FM audience but big gains in mobile +3 million news app downloads

Newspapers

Circulation flat overall

Sunday circulation up 0.6 pc as newspapers focus on that day as best read and most profitable paper

Magazines

All major magazines had declining circulation in the US

News stand sales of news magazines down 16% on average - all magazine news stand sales decline about 8%Subscriptions stable but usually discounted in price

Key economic findings

Audience findings

What about content

What is happening here?

The media and the campaign 2012

Cable news channels

63% of air time is comment and opinion while 37% reporting among top three news channels

Only CNN at 54% has more reporting than commentaryCommentary leader is MSNBC - 85% - Fox at 55%

Local TV

Traffic weather and sports dominate - fewer and shorter news stories and tape packages

In 2005 news stories and tape took up about 41% of local TV news - now about 33%Amount of time devoted to sports has almost doubled to 12% from 7%Examined 48 local newscasts in 2012-13 - 20 led with a weather story

Network TV News

Contrasts sharply with network news where there has been almost no change

almost 80% of newscasts devoted to packaged stories - more than double local newsaverage story length in 2008 was 141 seconds (2:21) - today it is 142 (2:22) Minimal change in interview length or talkback length

ChaLLENGES FOR THE MEDIA

31% have deserted a particular news outlet in the past year

No longer provides news and information they were accustomed to receivingBetter educated, wealthier and older most likely to walk awayThey are the biggest news consumers and most able to pay for news

Walking away

PROBLEMS - WHAT PROBLEMS

Few people aware the news industry is facing financial problems

Majority say they have heard little or nothing about financial trouble

LIMITED AWARENESS

EVEN MORE WORRISOME

57% of those who had heard anything didn’t think it had much impact on the media’s ability to cover local, national or international news

About one third said more difficult to cover local news and same amount said difficult to cover national and international news Those who know the most about the media’s financial struggles are most likely to lose patience with news organization

THOSE IN THE KNOW

WHO IS LEAVING?

QUALITY IS IMPORTANT

Little sympathy from the public

Most of the United States doesn’t recognize the financial challenges the news business faces

May be something only those in the business know and understandThose who are aware are more likely to act - but they don’t demand better - they leaveThese are key news consumers but are making informed choices to leave - that’s a problem

DOUBLE SCREENS - THE FUTURE?

DOUBLE SCREENS - THE FUTURE?

DOUBLE SCREENS - THE FUTURE?