Lifecycle Of A News Story - Jennie Beck, TNS Media

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) quot;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.quot; (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 quot;Any Questionsquot; 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

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Lifecycle Of A News Story - Jennie Beck, TNS Media

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Lifecycle Of A News Story - Jennie Beck, TNS Media — Presentation Transcript