Here's A Brief Summary Of The Most Important Digital Media Findings For 2020

The coronavirus outbreak has significantly raised the level of news consumption in the mainstream media in all the countries in which we conducted surveys before and after the virus had taken into effect. Television news as well as online sources have experienced substantial increases. Television has emerged as the primary source of news for many people, offering temporary relief from the current decline. As physical distribution is hampered by lockdowns, the consumption of printed publications has decreased. It is likely to accelerate the transition to digital media. Although the number of people using social media and online platforms has significantly increased across the globe but lockdowns have had a negative impact on their consumption. WhatsApp saw the biggest overall growth, with increases by ten percent in certain countries. In addition, more than half of those surveyed (51%) utilized an online, whether closed or open community to share information, connect or join a local support network.

The trust in media coverage about COVID-19 was very high across all countries at the time of April of 2020. It was in line with the national government's trust, and much higher than that of politicians on their own. In relation to COVID-19 information and trust, the trust in the media was more than twice the trust of social networks, video platforms, and messaging services. The general concern over misinformation remains high according to the bigger data set we gathered in January. Nearly half of the world's population expressed concerns over the accuracy or truthfulness of news on the internet, even before the outbreak of coronavirus. Although, it is the domestic political system that is often cited as the source of misinformation - though people who are right-wingers, such as those in the United States, are more likely not to blame the media. Facebook is seen almost everywhere as the main channel to spread false information. WhatsApp is however more accountable in places like Brazil and Malaysia.

Our January poll across all countries found that less than 4 out of 10 (38 percent) thought that the majority of news sources were reliable. This is a drop of 4 percentage points when compared to the year 2019. Just 46 percent of respondents said they trust news they've read. Political polarisation and the resulting uncertainty has undermined trust in public broadcasters especially, which are losing supporters from political partisans on both the right and the left. Our research shows that 60% of people prefer news that doesn't have an opinion, while only 28% prefer news which reinforces or supports their opinions. While the number of partisans has slightly increased in the United States since 2013 however, the majority of Americans are still in favor of news that is neutral or objective.

Most people (52 percent) would prefer media to focus on false statements from politicians (29 29.9%) in order to adapt to the changing ways of communicating. People are more hesitant to view political ads on search engines and social media than they are with TV advertisements. The majority of people (58 percent) prefer having platforms that block inaccurate claims even though they get to make the final decision. We have seen significant increases in online news payments across a variety of countries, including the United States 20% (+4) and Norway 42 percent (+8), with small increases in a number of other markets. It's important to note that the majority of users do not pay for news online across all countries, even though some publishers have reported an increase in their payments.

Signing up to newsletters is a sign of confidence. One of the most crucial thing is the authenticity and quality of the content. Subscribers believe they are getting higher quality information. The majority of subscribers are pleased with the content they receive for no cost. But, we do have a substantial number of non-subscribers (40% USA and 50 percent UK) who feel paying would be impossible. Countries with higher rates of payment (e.g. About a third to half of subscriptions are paid to national brands in countries like Norway, the USA as well as Norway. This means that there are still winners and losers. These two countries have a large minority that subscribes to multiple subscriptions and even a specialist publication or local newspaper. For radio Alba Iulia Romanian commercial radio station. It has a format that's 60% news from different areas and 40 percent music. They have a variety of programs that appeal to their audience. These people are interested not only in news, contests, or interviews, but are equally drawn to programs that focus on culture, debates, entertainment, and even music.

Local newspapers and their websites are the best source of information on a specific town or region in the majority of countries. They reach four out of ten (44%) every week. We find that Facebook as well as other social networks are used by about a third of the population (31%), for local news and information. This further puts pressure on companies and their business models. News access continues to grow growing. Nearly 25% of the population prefer to begin their journey to read news via an app or a website. The 18-24 age group (so-called Generation Z) have an even less entanglement with apps and websites, and are more than twice as likely to get news through social media. Instagram news consumption has increased by a third in all age groups. This trend is expected to continue throughout the coming year.

To stop the proliferation of multiple platforms, publishers have tried to engage directly with customers via email and mobile alerts. The United States has 21 percent of people who use weekly news email. It's nearly 50% of the country's main sources of news. Northern European countries tend to be slower in embracing news channels for email. Finland only has 10 percent. The number of people who listen to podcasts has grown significantly over the past year, although coronavirus lockdowns may temporarily alter this trend. More than 50 percent of respondents in all countries believe podcasts are more educational and accessible than other media. Spotify is currently the most popular podcast platform in several markets, surpassing Apple's podcast application.

While almost seven in 10 (69 percent) agree that climate change poses an imminent threat in the near future, a substantial majority of Americans, Sweden, Australia and Australia are not in agreement. This group is typically right-wing and older. Younger people can find much more information on climate change via social media, or by following activists such as Greta Thunberg. Amazon Echo, Google Home and voice-activated smart assistants continue to gain popularity. The UK has seen an increase in use of smart speakers for all kinds of purposes with 14% up to 19 percent, 7%- 13% in Germany and 9 to 12% in South Korea. However, the use of news is low across all markets.