The decline in print media

Part 1: Ofcom report into news consumption

Read this Ofcom report on the consumption of news in the UK and answer the following questions (bullet points/short answers are fine):

1) Look at the headlines from the report on page 6. Pick three that you think are interesting and bullet point them here. Why did you pick those three in particular?  

1)TikTok's reach for news has increased from 2020 (1%) to 2022 (7%).- mentions a social media platform I frequently use

2)Social media is overtaking traditional channels for news among teens.- again here mentions social media which is something I use daily

3)Five of the top six TV channels (including BBC One which remains the top news source across platforms) saw decreased reach from 2021- takes about a type of media which is important in this generation

2) Look at the overall summary for adults on pages 7-8. What are the key points on newspapers? 

-Reach of print/online newspapers decreased from 2020 (47%) to 2022 (38%)

-older people favour print in comparison to younger people

-reach of print newspapers is decreasing, online newspaper reach remains steady

3) Look at the statistics on page 13. What do you notice about newspapers and how has it changed in recent years?

There has been a huge decline since 2018 as in 2020 there was 24% of people over the age of 16 that actually read this media. This is due to the introduction of technology and use of online media by newer generations.

4) Now look at the age demographics for news consumption on page 16. What age demographic groups are most and least likely to read newspapers and what are the percentages? 

People over the age of 75 are most likely to read newspapers whilst people between the age of 35-44 and 16-24 are least likely to read it, both at 30%

5) Look at the newspaper-specific data on page 36. Which are the most popular newspaper titles? 

From the data we can see how the Daily Mail has the most reach with their free newspapers and following behind is both The Metro and The Sun.

6) Now look at the total newspaper reach of print and online on page 39. How has this decreased over the last three years?

Between 2019 and 2018, the date shows how people using print is around 30% and using website is around 20%. During these two years, people using both medias is constant at 8%. However, as we reach 2022, this two year jump show a big difference that people using print are 24%, apps are the same while people using both has dropped down to 5%. The crossover between the two has decrease especially when it comes to print as the newer generations are getting use to online media and sourcing news from social media platforms.


Part 2: Factsheet - The death of print media

Go to our Media Factsheet archive and open Factsheet 165: The death of print media. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or you can find it online here - you'll need to log in using your Greenford Google login.

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks (bullet points/short answers are fine):

1) What has happened to print media in the last 30 years?

In the last 30 years print was seen as the main source of information since the first newspaper in 1660s. When radio was released in 1930, it impacted the newspaper circulation as many audience consume media differently. Recently, most of this news can be accessed online for free as people are moving on and adapting to the introduction of new media.

2) Why is the Independent newspaper such a good case study for the decline in print media?

It is a newspaper that has recently died as a broadsheet made in 1986. It offered a fresh perspective with a non traditional slogan of slogan “It is. Are you?” reflecting the direct and challenging approach to contemporary splash headlines of the time. In the late 90s it hit circulation of 280,000 but this was low. The company was bought by Evgeny Lebedev for  £1 and £9.25m over the next 10 months.

3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?

It was famous for a scandal surrounding the reporting of Johann Hari. It was claimed that Hari’s reporting contained inaccuracies and plagiarised materials which damaged the reputation of the paper. 

4) What did the then-owner of the Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, say about the newspaper's digital-only future?

“The newspaper industry is changing, and that change is being driven by readers. They’re showing us that the future is digital. This decision preserves the Independent brand and allows us to continue to invest in the high quality editorial content that is attracting more and more readers to our online platforms.”

5) How do online newspapers make money?

Advertising revenues and having a membership.

6) What did the Independent's longest-serving editor Simon Kelner warn regarding the switch to digital?

He said it was difficult to replicated Independent's variety of voices and original designs in digital form.

7) What is the concern with fake news? What does 'post-truth' refer to?

Though the death of print, it cause the rise of fake news as online websites are easy to set up/ replicate other designs to appeal professional. In comparison to print everything online is free so no money is needed to share as well as the fact that everything online an be globally accessed so physical distribution is not needed. 'Post-truth' refers to the spread of claims from different people which may be accepted as the truth by some audiences.

8) What is your view on the decline in print media? Should news be free? Is it a concern that established media brands such as the Independent can no longer afford to exist as a printed newspaper?

Although our society has evolved to move with the generations that have been born into technology, the rise of social media/ online spaces should not stop print media from being used by a variety of people. I believe news should be free as it informs many people across the world about what is happening giving them social awareness .However, physical newspapers may be in decline but that doesn't stop free copies from being distributed in public spaces for many different people to read in order to pass the time, this can also include older generations who prefer to be reading print as they have always done. Its a sense of familiarity to show the connection we have with our past and that we're not relying on technology all the time.