1
Consuming
News
Jennie Beck, TNS Media
INMA Outlook 2009
1st October 2008

2
Inside Today
 Excerpts from two pieces of research
 2006 – What is news and how is it gathered?
 2008 – The lifecycle of a news story

3
2006:
Phase 1 The Future of News
A qualitative
exploration of the
way people consume
news

4
Consumer
Needs What is news for?
Two Dimensions
Simple, practical needs
Travel, Weather, TV guides
etc. Professional needs
Financial, business, current
I E affairs, specialist etc.
Broader practical
N X
considerations
Health, education, legislation, T T Social currency
E E Sport, celebrities, big stories
taxation etc.
R R Not being the last to know
N N Contributing / engaging
Personal interest
Sports results, local news, pet A A
Broader engagement
subjects etc. L L Understanding society and my
role / place in it
Personal improvement
Increasing knowledge,
broadening horizons • To form an opinion
• To subscribe to an opinion

5
News
A five-step process
Assimilation
Basic Registering that a story exists - the type of story
Awareness and primary subject matter
Passive Gradually encountering more detail and
Gathering developing a broader knowledge
Active Seeking out further information, detail and
Investigation clarification
Opinion Establishing personal perception of story and
Forming own relationship to it
External Evaluating other opinions in the light of one’s
Engagement own views

6
News Assimilation
News
Assimilation
Basic Awareness
Basic Awareness
Basic Registering that a story exists - the type of story
Awareness and primary subject matter
 Passive
 Any source:
 Newspaper headlines
 Radio bulletins
 On-screen Internet ticker or news alert
 A call or text message
 The start point and, in many instances,
sufficient information
 But can trigger ‘Active Investigation’

7
News
Passive Gathering
Assimilation
Passive Gradually encountering more detail and
Gathering developing a broader knowledge
 Information gathered gradually – almost
subconscious
 All available sources, as and when encountered
 TV and / or Radio bulletins key sources
 Internet plays a smaller role
 Press, particularly for slow burning stories
 Approach switches from Passive Gathering to
Active Investigation as more detail is assimilated

8
News
Active Investigation
Assimilation
Active Seeking out further information, detail and
Investigation clarification
 More direct and conscious engagement
 Sources are those most immediately available
 Internet
 TV rolling news channels
 Newspapers – headline-led
 Multiple sources build up a full picture as quickly as
possible

9
News
Opinion Forming
Assimilation
Opinion Establishing personal perception of story and
Forming own relationship to it
 Deciding ‘where to stand’ in relation to a story
 Does it affect them?
 Is there an ethical or moral dimension?
 Did the event actually occur as reported?
 Which versions do they believe?
 Low-key stage (‘filing’ the story) or full-blown
discussion and debate

10
News
External Engagement
Assimilation
External Evaluating other opinions in the light of one’s
Engagement own views
 News as social currency
 Testing opinion:
 In conversation / discussion / debate with others
 Versus views put forward in the media
 Newspapers an important part of the process but also:
 Analytical TV news and current affairs programmes
 Radio talk shows / phone ins
 Internet bulletin boards and chat rooms

11
The DailyThe Daily Cycle
News
Assimilation
Cycle
News assimilation
Basic
Awareness
Passive
Gathering
Active
Investigation
Opinion
Forming
‘Day 2’
External
Engagement

12
Processing
Ongoing Evaluation
News
External Basic
Engagement Awareness
Opinion Pick up headline from
Forming breakfast television
Watch the (credible, Hear item on
definitive) late radio news
evening news
Passive
Continue to receive Gathering
information
Colleague
Passive mentions story
Gathering
E-mail from a
Active friend
Story doesn’t
Investigation
hang together

13
News
Summary of Media Roles
Assimilation
TV Press Radio Internet Informal
Basic  ?   
Awareness
Passive
Gathering
 ?   ?
Active ?    ?
Investigation
Opinion
Forming
?  ?  ?
External
Engagement ?    

14
Press Critical source of opinion
 The most ‘opinionated’ news source - news needs to be evaluated against the
newspaper’s stance
 News role can seem blurred:
Sets the news agenda Follows the news
- Breaks key non-time-critical stories - More detail on yesterday’s stories
- Offers analysis, comment and a - Cannot be as quick off the mark as
stance other media
 The press is not just about the story, but about its consequences, implications
and impact - territory appropriated and strongly held by newspapers

15
Internet Ad hoc tool integrated into everyday lives
 Dominant news source during the day
 Fulfils a variety of roles
Searching
Picking up Following
archives to
stories via a breaking
add depth,
a headline news story
background
news ticker/ RSS as it develops
etc.
 Values associated with the ‘master’ brand

16
2008
The Latest Research…

17
2008:
Phase 2 Tomorrow’s News
 In-depth look at the way future-focused consumers use news in
2008
 10 days of news ‘Safaris’ to be followed by qualitative discussions
with the same respondents

18
Safari How it works
 Cohorts of Safari travellers record all their contact with news
with an online diary covering:
 news stories consumed, passed on and followed up
 news platforms and brands used
 Follow behaviours as it unfolds
 Links, photos, videos and comments posted throughout the day
 Moderator monitors, explores and probes

The
Cohorts
All engaged with news
All technology literate
All influential among their peer group
16-18s 21-24s 35+
“Digital Natives”
Used to the internet
Grown up with the Established media users?
Entering the workplace
internet

• CASUAL users of news – they want IT to come to THEM
16-18s • Gather AWARENESS mostly through the internet
• Looking for things that concern THEMSELVES
I like to read local
news that affects
people just like me
I use the Metro because it’s
free and in my face. I don’t
have to go looking for it
Taking advantage of bbc.com’s up
to date football result service. I
read an article about the game
straight after it’s finished

• OPPORTUNISTIC users of news – whatever’s to hand
21-24s • Internet is popular due to SPEED of access
• News serves a strong SOCIAL PURPOSE
I use the news for both
personal and social
purposes. I use it in
conversations and bring up
debates on headlines.
The radio is good as you can
be doing other stuff while
being updated
Haven’t watched the news on TV all week
cos you have to wait ages to see
something you actually like but with the
internet you can pick and choose what to
take in

• ROUTINE-DRIVEN – Unless big news breaks the routine
35+ • Internet used by default at work, often for further research
• They like to use a RANGE OF SOURCES to get more depth
The morning news on the radio is
very much gathered on the hoof. I feel
like it’s the best way of hearing the news
when I’m pottering about the house
If I get a chance at work, and
I’ve heard a bit of a story on
the radio that I want to know
more about, then I’ll go online
to the BBC website and read
further
I like to keep swapping ways I find out
the news. I read as many different
papers at work as I can get my hands
on… to see how the different side report
the news.

23
Case
Study
The Financial Crisis

24
An overview…
Sat-Sun Monday Tuesday Weds Thursday Friday Sat-Sun
FTSE100 Interest
Index peaks
Lehmans folds
…attention surges Relief…
Fatigue? Back to routine…
Fear? Albeit on higher
Low-level
level of ‘alert’
Awareness
Engagement
With News

16-18s
• Don’t see it as relevant due to their age – parents’ concern
• When pressed, realise it’s significant, but don’t want to hear about it…
• “There's been so many different financial disaster stories in the news every day
that I don't feel intrigued by them anymore, If I see that as a headline on the
internet now I'll probably just briefly look gloomy then carry on instead of reading it.”
• Some fight their confusion to investigate further…
• “Due to this last week I’ve been watching more TV than listening to the radio. I’ve
also read more than one paper, just to get different views on what has recently
happened.”
• It helps to put it in their own terms…
• “The point that I started to take things more seriously was when I watched a report
on Newsround (on CBBC at 5.00) that helped me understand the situation better. It
put it in terms that I could understand and after watching that I definitely became
more aware of the situation, and have taken it more seriously over these past few
days.”

21-24s
• Aware of the crisis and get more interested over the week
• But unlikely to displace their usual obsessions ...
• ... unless they have an active interest
• When pressed, some note changes in behaviour…
• “I have probably changed my news gathering behaviour slightly as I
sometimes prefer to read less intellectual newspapers and blogs, but I am
now taking a more serious approach and with the HBOS takeover I have
tried to delve a bit deeper.”
• “I have increased my consumption of reading the FT this week as I
wanted more depth in the stories that were unfolding. As well as this I
would regularly check on to skynews.com and CNN.com”
• Some are more cynical…
• “…the situation is serious however to a certain extend the media have
fanned the flames and in some respects I see them as scaremongering.”

27
Focus
…on those over 35

The
weekend Low-level BASIC
of 13/14
September AWARENESS
Of Lehman’s
OPINION
FORMING
on the XL story
But mostly weekend routines…
…Headlines continue to report airline crises …Lehman Brothers in crisis…

29
XL has gone bust, this sort of news gets you
listening as it could quite easily be you
(Joanne)
News re Lehman brothers – more banks
hitting crisis point (Catherine)
Today being Saturday, the only news I'm
really interested in is the football results.
The weekend
of 13/14
(Mark)
September
…Headlines continue to report airline crises …Lehmann Brothers in crisis…

30
Monday
15th Sept
SWITCHED ON from first
thing – many use RADIO
TIMING means
INTERNET comes
into its own for further
updates during the day
ALMOST ALL
aware by end
of day
…Lehmann Brothers declares bankruptcy…Stock markets crash around the world…

31
I think the USA is in deep **** . This will
probably have similar results in UK over next
12 months. (David)
At work all we discussed was the collapse of
Lehmans and how long would our jobs be
safe?.(Catherine)
We‘re doomed! (Helen)
Monday 15th
September
…Lehmann Brothers declares bankruptcy…Stock markets crash around the world…

32
Tuesday
16th Sept
Now seen as the
MAIN NEWS Early signs of
FATIGUE?
Seen to be
DOMINATING
the news… as the
headlines attest
…World reacts… Fears for AIG… Central Banks pump funds into markets…

33
The main story again is the
Lehman bank and how it is
affecting the banks in the UK.
The national news showed a
typical street in Derby and how
the credit crunch was affecting
them. (Joanne)
\"Thought I would take a look at the online version of the
Guardian to see how it was handling information
relating to turmoil in the financial crisis. Found an
interesting article by Larry Elliot, the Guardians
economics editor.\" (Dave R)
All doom and gloom again
Tuesday 16th
about the financial crises in UK
and US (Helen)
September
…World reacts… Fears for AIG… Central Banks pump funds into markets…

34
Wednesday
17th Sept
Lots of
ACTIVE
INVESTIGATION
Evidence of
CHANGING
BEHAVIOUR
…HBOS Shares crash… Fears for UK Banking jobs… AIG Bailed Out…

35
Sky had more coverage of the story so I
watched more of that than the BBC, though in
general I prefer to watch the BBC. (Marc)
I was quite interested yesterday because it had a
slight impact on me, but now the overkill begins.
I caught the news on Radio 4 but I intend to get a (Mark)
paper to read more about Lehman. I may well
understand it better that way. (Helen)
Wednesday 17th
September
…HBOS Shares crash… Fears for UK Banking jobs… AIG Bailed Out…

36
Thursday
18th Sept
SATURATION POINT
The story is EVERYWHERE
..they wish it wasn’t!
…Lloyds announce HBOS takeover… Billions wiped off markets… Governments intervene…

37
I have made a decision today only to look at football
related news. Having for the last 3 days been
depressed about HBOS I want to submerge myself in
something I like. (Michael)
I quite like the Metro though for it's different
stories which take the mind away for a few
moments from the depressing economic and
Feeling generally
financial downward spiral. (Donald)
overwhelmed by the news
and the fact that all i can do
is worry about it without even
fully understanding it. (Helen)
Thursday 18th
September
…Lloyds announce HBOS takeover… Billions wiped off markets… Governments intervene…

38
Friday
19th Sept
Clear DROP in comments about economy
PRESS
OVERKILL?
RETURN
TO
WEEKEND
MENTALITY?
…Thursday’s intervention takes effect…Markets rally and stocks boom to finish the week…

39
Caught a little bit of the news on the radio of which
the most unexpected was the bounce back. We all
listened to \"Any Questions\" in the car on the way
back from Southampton and benefited from the
wisdom of the panel on a number of topical issues.
(Dave R)
Listened to BBC Scotland news… Seems some
encouraging news if the US government are
going to bail out the banks. (Lisa)
10.00am Just before a meeting with
colleagues - discuss the news and the
effect which the financial situation will have
on our area of work and all the sport
coming up at the weekend (Donald)
Friday 19th
September
…Thursday’s intervention takes effect…Markets rally and stocks boom to finish the week…

40
The
weekend of
20th/21st
Sept
Back into the weekend routine – sports, etc.
Most are relieved that the worst appears to be over
Some in-depth newspaper reading – from a more comfortable distance?
…They think it’s all over…

41
Busy, Busy day, no time to read or watch the news.
The world could be ending & I wouldn't know!!
(Joanne)
Noted that British Banks operating in America
will benefit from the initiatives announced
yesterday in respect of toxic loans. More good
news! (Dave R)
I was hoping that there would be a good
piece of analysis on the turmoil in the
finance markets and was glad to see Will
Hutton had a piece. I also read the digest
of the US Papers. It helps me to get a
perpective on how another country sees The
world events - or, indeed, events in their
own country. (Marc)
Weekend of
20th/21st
September
…They think it’s all over…

42
Changing media behaviour during a
Summary
major story…
Press Internet
 Revert to traditional, trusted  Becomes more of a source of breaking
newspapers news than usual – overnight Lehman
bankruptcy
 but
… not exclusively ‘their paper.’
Can equally lead to switching to get  Especially true for global stories
range of opinions.  Search for stories from additional
 Read weekend papers expecting sources in order to get more opinions
more depth  …but often arriving back at the same
 Follow up articles spotted on the trusted sources (newspapers or TV
internet or in freesheets online brands…)

43
Summary The role of newspapers…?
MAKING THE STORY MAKING IT RELEVANT LIFTING THE MOOD
…fanning the flames? …keeping it local …‘resolving’ the story
…keeping us in the loop …and keeping it real …playing to weekend needs
…influencing the mood …providing reassurance …averting fatigue
…the right amount …and keeping up …leaving the door open?
of ‘shock’ interest-levels

44
But the story isn’t over … yesterday’s papers
MAKING THE STORY MAKING IT RELEVANT LIFTING THE MOOD
…fanning the flames? …keeping it local …‘resolving’ the story
…keeping us in the loop …and keeping it real …playing to weekend needs
…influencing the mood …providing reassurance …averting fatigue
…the right amount …and keeping up …leaving the door open?
of ‘shock’ interest-levels

45
… though not everybody had the same story
MAKING THE STORY MAKING IT RELEVANT LIFTING THE MOOD
…fanning the flames? …keeping it local …‘resolving’ the story
…keeping us in the loop …and keeping it real …playing to weekend needs
…influencing the mood …providing reassurance …averting fatigue
…the right amount …and keeping up …leaving the door open?
of ‘shock’ interest-levels
THE END