5 things you need to know from Ofcom’s news consumption report

Reassuringly for once, a new report doesn’t signal the need for a dramatic shift in the way we must communicate with audiences on social media.

But the new Ofcom news consumption report does confirm that it’s a complicated media landscape, with a strategic and sophisticated approach needed if you’re trying to engage a broad range of people.

Here’s the five things you need to know:

1. One in 10 of us use TikTok as a ‘news’ source

The continued rise of TikTok is perhaps most interesting.

One in every 10 adults (10%) are using it to keep up with the news – more so than BBC Radio 1 and Channel 5.

It’s the fastest growing platform, as even social media rivals slow down or plateau.

Of course, the definition of ‘news’ is broad: emotive human interest stories and showbiz and entertainment news tend to perform well.

It’s not that they’re turning to TikTok for every cut and thrust of the latest Westminster row, but these stats are an issue for the government, who hasn’t been on the platform since last summer.

What is fascinating about TikTok, and what challenges the presumed theory about the platform, is that basic, raw, non-vertical video can perform well on there, as long as it’s at least one of these three things:

1. New or important news or information
2. Visually appealing, either in the text caption, or the pictures
3. Generates some form of emotion, positive or negative

 

2. The popularity of iPlayer and ITVX for news

This same chart from the Ofcom news consumption report has recorded broadcast on demand (BVoD) for the first time, and it shows pleasing results for the BBC’s iPlayer and the revamped ITVX.

This is despite news not being featured too prominently (you have to scroll down quite a few rows or ‘rails’ as the insiders call them) – unless there is a huge story.

This is likely to rise as more of us get smart TVs (I still use an Amazon Fire stick, but I’m not a big TV watcher.)

I’m curious as to whether Channel 4 and Sky News’ stats are all linear TV or a mixture of on-demand too.

 

3. There’s been no dramatic changes in what media we mainly use for news, apart from papers

Interestingly, we’ve been generally been using the same forms of media for news that we’ve been accustomed to for the past five years, as new technology offers more flexible and personalised ways to continue to enjoy them.

Print continues to decline, saved by their online operations. The decline in linear TV has been countered by the rise in on-demand options through your remote. Audio options have flourished, from podcasts to catch-up to ad-free subscription services.

Hidden from this table I think is the role of passive forms of news consumption, especially radio, with record numbers listening to commercial radio and listening to a bulletin between their songs.

 

4. Kids are complicated

A lot is talked about the need for news organisations conquering TikTok to attract young people, but for 16-24 year olds, Instagram is still by far the biggest platform.

But for the younger 12-15 year olds, TikTok is most important social platform, followed closely by YouTube and Instagram – but they’re not interested in news unless it’s very big (understandably). And TV still plays a bigger role than social media.

But what I think is still underplayed in these Ofcom news consumption surveys is the influence of friends and family – and messaging apps.

We may not consciously realise, but we tend to share a lot of news and information in things like WhatsApp chats – which due to their encrypted nature are impossible to track unless someone selects to share it there by tapping a button on a different platform.

5. The importance of the BBC

Despite all the ups and downs of the BBC as an organisation in the media, this report confirms what a vital role it continues to play in how we access news through media, whatever age we are.

Ofcom says, “BBC news output across all its platforms reaches 73% of all UK adults” and it’s still the most important source of information for 12-15 year olds.

The importance of a suitably funded and supported Beeb in providing trusted and impartial news is clear.

But…

The challenge for media organisations is how you make revenue out of this situation. But that’s a different story for a different article.

You can read the Ofcom report here – it’s well-produced and an easy read.

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What young people think of as ‘news’ on Instagram