A Summary Of Important Digital Media Findings In 2020

The coronavirus crisis has substantially increased news consumption for mainstream media across all the countries in which we conducted surveys before and after the pandemic was in into effect. Online and television news sources have seen significant increases and more people have identified television as their main source of news, providing an occasional respite from the image of steady decline. Since lockdowns have made it difficult to publish newspapers in physical form, consumption has declined. It's almost certain that the move to digital publishing will increase. But, many countries have seen a significant rise in the use of social media and internet. WhatsApp saw the most growth with an increase of around 10 percentage points in some countries. In addition, more than half (51 percent) of those polled were part of an open or closed online group to exchange information, or participate in local support communities.

Media coverage of COVID-19 was extremely high across all countries in April of 2020. It was in line with that of national governments, but much higher than that of individuals politicians. Media trust was higher than the amount for social networks or video platforms, as well as messaging services in relation to information on COVID-19. The global concern about misinformation is still high, according to the bigger data set we gathered in January. Global concerns about misinformation remain significant even prior to the coronavirus epidemic. More than half our worldwide sample said they are worried about the information is being spread online regarding news. Politicians in the United States are the most frequently named source of misinformation, though in some countries - including the United States - people who identify as right-wing tend to blame the media. part of an 'pick-your-side' mentality.

Facebook is thought to be the most effective source of false information almost everywhere but WhatsApp is considered to be more responsible in parts of the Global South like Brazil and Malaysia.

In our survey conducted in January across countries, less than four in ten (38%) reported that they trust the majority of news at least a majority of the time . This is down four percentage points over the year. 46 percent said that they are confident in the information they read. In particular, political polarisation and rising uncertainty seem to be affecting trust among public broadcasters. They are losing support from both the right wing as well as the left. Our study finds that 60% of Americans would rather read news that isn't influenced by any particular view, and only 28% of them prefer news that reinforces or supports their views. The preference for partisans has slightly increased in the United States since we last asked this question in 2013 however, even in this country, a quiet majority seems to be looking for news that at least tries to be objective.

A majority of people (52%) would prefer that the media regularly reported on false statements made by politicians, instead of not making them the focus of their coverage (29 percent). People are more uncomfortable watching political ads on social media and search engines as they are on television. The majority of people (58%) would prefer for platforms to stop ads that make false statements. In a range of markets, we've seen significant increases in the amount of money paid for news online. These include the United States (20%) and Norway (42% (+8). Additionally, we observed smaller increases in other markets. Important to note is that nearly all countries do not pay for online news however some publishers have been able to report the existence of a "coronavirus rise".

For subscribers the most important factor is the quality and originality of the content. Subscribers think they receive better information. However, a large number of people are satisfied with the information they get for free. We see a significant proportion of non-subscribers (40% in the USA and 50% in the UK) who claim that there is nothing they can do to convince people to pay. More payment levels are seen in countries such as the United States and Norway with a higher percentage of subscribers. The USA and Norway have a similar ratio of between 25% and 50% of all subscriptions going to only a few large national brands. This shows that winning-takes-all dynamic is still prevalent in these countries. A significant portion of those countries is now adding their subscriptions, often by purchasing a specialist or local paper. For radio din Alba a Romanian commercial radio station, they offer a format oriented on 60 percent news from various fields and 40 percent music. The most popular elements that are appealing to viewers are news programming from the county and specialized programs, in addition to talk shows. They are drawn to stories, contests, and interviews, but also to cultural events and debates, as well as music and entertainment.

The primary source for news and information about a country is the local newspaper and its websites. The number is four-in-ten (44%). However, we discovered that Facebook as well as other social media sites are currently being used by around three-quarters (31%) of local information and news users. This puts greater pressure on businesses and their business models. News is now more widespread. Nearly half (28%) of the world's population prefer to access news via an app or website. Generation Z, a group of people aged 18-24, prefers to read news on social media rather than apps or websites. Instagram's news use has more than twice as high across all age groups in the past year and is set to surpass Twitter within the next few years.

To combat the growing trend of various platforms, publishers are trying to connect directly with consumers via mobile or email alerts. In the United States sees nearly one fifth of Americans checking their news emails every week (21%), and almost 50% of people use it as their main source of information. Northern European countries have been much slower to adopt email news channels and only 10% of people using email news in Finland. The number of people who listen to podcasts has risen significantly in the past year, however coronavirus lockdowns may temporarily alter this trend. Across countries, half of all respondents (50%) claim that podcasts give more understanding and depth than other types of media. Additionally, Spotify has become the number one destination for podcasts in several markets, outdoing Apple's Podcast app.

The majority (69 percent) of respondents consider climate change to be a serious problem. But there are vast differences in opinion in Australia, Sweden, the United States, and Australia. This group tends be right-winger and more senior. Younger groups can access much of their climate information via social media, and by following activists such as Greta Thunberg. The popularity of voice-activated smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo or Google Home continues to rise. The UK has seen an increase in use of smart speakers for all purposes with 14% to 19%, 7% to 12% in Germany, and 9%-12% in South Korea. We find that news use is low across all countries, despite this.