David Levy & Nic Newman, Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2014, 13 June

REUTERS INSTITUTE DIGITAL NEWS REPORT 2014

TRACKING THE FUTURE OF NEWS

David Levy

Director Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Oxford University

13/06/2014 RISJ Digital News Report 2014 2

Background and methodology One of the largest news surveys in the world – online news habits of more than 18,000 people in ten countries. Research conducted online in January/early February 2014.

Additional analysis of key themes, country level insights from network of partners


Supported by

Polling by



Nic Newman Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism


Key findings

•  Role of smartphone as a key agent of change •  Generational split in news consumption •  Increasing disruption to mainstream media companies from

pure players and aggregators •  Rise of the reporter as a key focus of trust and engagement •  Role of social media and emergence of WhatsApp as news

network.


SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS


Strong growth in SMARTPHONE news access Consistent pattern of strong growth in all markets


28% 28%

21% 20%

0%

32%

19%

29% 28% 22% 24% 25%

35%

43%

26%

33% 31% 32% 35% 36%

44%

52%

Japan UK USA Germany France Italy Spain Denmark

2012 2013 2014

8b Which, if any, of the following devices have you used to access news in the last week? Base: All (total sample in each country)

access news weekly ALL TEN COUNTRIES

37%

6% 6% 11%

8% 13%

6% 10%

14% 11%

16% 13%

16%

25%

10%

17% 18% 19% 20% 21% 23%

36%

Japan Germany Italy France USA Spain UK Denmark

2012 2013 2014

Strong growth in TABLET access Denmark still leads in tablet usage


access news weekly ALL TEN COUNTRIES

20%

8b Which, if any, of the following devices have you used to access news in the last week? Base: All (total sample in each country)

Impact and value of new devices

•  Increasing the frequency with which we access the news

•  Increasing the access points for news

•  Encouraging payment for news


“in the café or at the bus it’s right there, you have all the news at your fingertips”

Say the mobile is the main way of accessing online news

20%

For under 45’s 30%

Smartphone and tablet demographics Smartphones are still more popular with younger age groups. Tablets are used equally through age groups but with a significant bulge with the 35-55 group.


56%

20%

55%

23%

48%

25%

35%

23% 22% 17%

Smartphone Tablet

Smartphone and tablet by age 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

35-44 group (+9%) driving smartphone growth

44-54 group (+7%) driving tablet growth

Smartphone users tend to access fewer new sources and brands with strong app propositions do best


On a smartphone, news brands with strong app proposition such as the BBC and Sky News & Mail Online tend to thrive. General aggregators are losing out

Access one news source weekly on a smartphone

37% Access one news source weekly on a computer

30%

Multiplatform world

In general new devices are not replacing TV, radio or print, though usage patterns are changing and becoming more complex


From brand’s point of view… It’s an increasingly complex world. Different devices are used at different points through the day


From audience’s point of view…

GENERATIONAL SPLIT: Older people prefer a newspaper ‘edition’ or scheduled ‘TV broadcasts’, whereas younger respondents access news throughout the day – mainly online


Q4c When do you typically access the news? Pleas select all that applies

DISRUPTION TO TRADITIONAL MEDIA


New challengers


Huff Post Buzzfeed

US 17% 5%

UK 9% 3%

Italy 5% -

France 5% 1%

Spain 4% 1%

Germany 3% 1%

Brazil - 1%

UK brands suffering less disruption


FINDING NEWS ONLINE


Finding news online Audiences in Finland, Denmark and the UK tend to go first to brand, followed by search and social whereas in other countries there is much more of a mix. In France, Germany, US, Italy and Brazil search is the primary gateway.


UK France Germany Denmark Italy Spain Japan Urban Brazil USA Finland

Directly via brand 45% 23% 27% 46% 39% 46% 20% 46% 33% 57%

Search engine 29% 40% 42% 15% 59% 35% 41% 59% 40% 26%

Social media 17% 14% 15% 16% 34% 38% 12% 46% 28% 24%

Email 9% 24% 12% 16% 12% 12% 18% 22% 27% 11%



Google News – No1 site in France and No 3 in Italy but only 5% in UK and 4% in Finland



Search engine 29% 40% 42% 15% 59% 35% 41% 59% 40% 26%

Social media 17% 14% 15% 16% 34% 38% 12% 46% 28% 24%

Email 9% 24% 12% 16% 12% 12% 18% 22% 27% 11%





Search engine 29% 40% 42% 15% 59% 35% 41% 59% 40% 26%

Social media 17% 14% 15% 16% 34% 38% 12% 46% 28% 24%

Email 9% 24% 12% 16% 12% 12% 18% 22% 27% 11%

Social discovery


24%

45% 41%

34% 37%

19%

Brand Search Social

United States

18-24 OVER 45s

PAYING FOR NEWS


Paying for news Overall numbers still low but an increasing proportion are moving to online subscription with 1. Times 2. Telegraph 3. Sun


Online subscription payment 2014 (43% in 2013)

59%

Who is paying for online news? Of those subscribing to online news (all countries)


are male 61% are aged 55+ 35% have a Masters/Doctoral or Bachelors degree 52% say they are very or extremely interested in news 52% use a tablet for news 43%

Motivations for paying for news


People sign up to get content they like on multiple devices or because they can’t get it any other way though the quality of writers and range of coverage is also important

ROLE OF THE REPORTER AS DRIVER

OF ENGAGEMENT


The influence and value of individual journalists In Spain, France and the United States the journalist is considered important for trust. In UK, Finland and Germany the brand is the most important driver


The influence and value of individual journalists In Spain, France and the United States the journalist is considered important for trust. In UK, Finland and Germany the brand is the most important driver


of Twitter users follow a professional news account

follow a journalist 64%

48%

follow a journalist 48% And in social media…..

Top Social Networks for news Average of 10 countries


33

3% 4% 7% 8% 10% 12%

21%

8% 9% 13%

18% 18%

24%

34%

Germany Denmark France USA Italy UK Spain

Age

18-‐24 19%

25-‐34 11%

35-‐44 10%

45-‐54 8%

55+ 6%

•  Q12a/b. Which, if any, of the following have you used for any purpose/for news in the last week?

•  Base: All markets 2014 – UK=2082, Germany=2063, Spain=2017, Italy=2010, France=1946, Denmark=2036, Finland=1520, USA=2197, Urban Brazil=1015, Japan=1973

Twitter for news (weekly use)

Use of WhatsApp for news


The use of WhatsApp in India, Sudhi Sen NDTV, India

Spain 26% Brazil 15% Italy 13%

WhatsApp

Role of video news online Most take up for video news in the US but online is still mainly about text.


70%

73%

77%

78%

78%

11%

12%

14%

4%

5%

10%

6%

5%

2%

5%

USA

Germany

Spain

Finland

UK

I mostly read news in text I read text stories and watch video news about the same I mostly watch video news

Barriers to using more video Still technical and cultural barriers to take up…


Formats of videos consumed Still technical and cultural barriers to take up…


More information www.digitalnewsreport.org #RISJ2014


News & Politics

David Levy & Nic Newman, Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2014, 13 June