Media Myths and Realities: A Study of 2006 Media Usage in America

 

 

From the June 2007 issue of PR Tactics. Copyright 2007 PR Tactics. Reprinted with permission by the Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org).

 

 

Here are six things that are not true:

From our vantage point, however, we’ve found that many in the PR profession tend to believe these myths, or certainly have read publications that reach these conclusions.

 

Ketchum, in partnership with the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communications, fielded two surveys last fall to take a snapshot of how Americans consume different types of media. About 1,500 American adults responded to the online surveys to create a representative sample, with an oversample in seven select markets. Respondents included 500 communications professionals, each with at least five years of experience in a wide range of industries.

 

We wanted to know several things:

Here’s what we discovered:

 

1) Traditional media lives as a driver of consumer attitudes and choices. “Traditional media is dead” is a common cry today, with predictions of the quick fade of newspapers and magazines headlining many recent articles and news broadcasts, but this is one of the myths the survey results dispel. While consumers are, without a doubt, using the Web sites of newspapers, television shows, networks and magazines, traditional media remain at the top of their usage and credibility meters, especially in the local arena. Consumers tend to rely heavily on their local newspapers (69%) and their local TV news (74%), as opposed to blogs (13%). Local media was also near the top of the list of media that consumers found most credible, joined by national newspapers and broadcast news, demonstrating that consumers’ trust in traditional media runs high. The appeal of traditional media is not defined by gender; both women and men use a variety of media and are frequent consumers of traditional outlets, such as newspapers and broadcast news.

 

Though young adults are consumers of new media, they also rely on traditional media — the use of traditional media sources, especially national newspapers and broadcast outlets, remains fairly consistent across age groups. Some separation is seen with older adults, who tend to depend mainly on traditional media outlets, while young adults are early adopters of other types of media. Traditional media, however, remain important for all. In the online realm, broadcast Web sites see steady usage rates across most age groups, gaining credibility and visitors from their connection to a broadcast outlet.

 

In the frenzy surrounding blogs and other new media, communications professionals must remember that traditional media is still critical in reaching consumers. Targeting local media, including newspapers and broadcast news, is integral to reaching consumers, who watch and trust these outlets. Local media provides consumers with a personal, authentic feel that is not often seen in other media types. Credibility is key, and, currently, credibility belongs to local media.

 

 

2) New media has a definite place in the mix. While traditional media are king, new media — especially blogs, forums and social networking sites — are gaining a foothold with the American public. Blogs are a hot area for marketers. While blogs are popular among new media — second only to social networking sites — podcasts, videocasts and mobile media are found to be more credible by consumers. Social networking sites are the least credible, but they win in popularity and are used by many different groups of adults — not only kids and teens. Moms, men age 25 to 54 and boomers all have communities dedicated expressly to serving them. Additionally, a majority of MySpace members are 35 and older.

 

Not surprisingly, influencers are greater consumers of nearly all types of new media, and they are early adopters of new media. However, they tend to find these sources less credible than the general public, indicating that familiarity does not equal trust and credibility. Marketing and communications industry professionals also tend to be well-versed in new media.

 

Communications professionals venturing into the world of new media should look beyond blogs to other rising media that hold higher credibility among consumers. Blogs are important, but they are not the only communication tool available. Communicators also need to pay attention to different demographics and the types of new media they are embracing, as these can vary. While identifying the usage patterns of demographic groups, be careful not to pigeonhole a certain type of media with one group (e.g., “social networking sites are just for kids”). As new media types become less unfamiliar, different groups will begin to adopt them.

 

 

3) Increasingly, the human channel spreads the message. Although it has been said that word of mouth cannot be controlled, it can be managed and should not be ignored. The degree to which word-of-mouth communication occurs between family, friends, co-workers and neighbors is striking. Advice from family and friends is used by 43.7% of consumers when making purchase decisions, and nearly 25% follow advice from co-workers. Not surprisingly, credibility for both groups is high. Meanwhile, a certain level of mistrust has developed as consumers grow more cynical toward advertising and other forms of corporate and institutional media sources.

 

The study suggests that consumers are looking for a more personalized touch when gathering information. They want to go to sources they know and can trust. Word-of-mouth communication encompasses these things.

 

What do these findings mean for communicators? While word of mouth can’t be controlled, it can be influenced by communications professionals who understand the varied and fragmented needs of their consumers. Consumers are going to share information and opinions with others when they find something exciting, engaging, relatable and relevant to their needs. It’s crucial for communicators to recognize that word of mouth influences purchasing decisions and they must tailor their communications strategies accordingly. They have a responsibility to recognize how important the human element can be in gathering and disseminating information and the power it has to make or break a communication campaign.

 

 

4) Customize your media mix as consumers’ needs vary. From a young age, we are told how unique we are, so why do so many communications professionals still employ the one-stop-shop approach to communicating with different types of consumers? Depending on their needs, consumers gather information and seek guidance for purchasing decisions using a variety of channels.

 

For example, when considering the purchase of a new car, 35% of consumers rely on advice from family and friends, but when thinking about purchasing stock, 26% look to business news Web sites and 20.8% visit company Web sites. Consumers also gather information at different times than communication professionals are releasing it. Consumers, typically, gather information around social and community events, whereas communicators tend to rely on company schedules when releasing information. Understanding and filling in these gaps is essential for professional communicators to get the most out of their messages and media outreach.

 

Communicators should recognize that consumers use a multisource approach to gathering information, and that it is particularly important to fragment the media and the message when communicating. Providing customized choices for different audiences at different times should be a preferred method when spreading the message. 

 

A best practice would be for communicators to adopt a balanced approach when reaching out to their audiences by working within the intersection of all three elements of communication — the human channel, traditional media and new media. Understanding and employing this balance will allow companies to best reach a variety of audiences through different media at different times.

 

So, what does this all mean?

 

The results indicate a more complicated communications landscape today than ever. You can’t dismiss any media channel. However, you can optimize the mix of different types of media based on what consumers use to make a particular decision or form a particular belief.

 

It’s important to note this survey offers a benchmark or snapshot in time. Many of the forms of media we asked about didn’t exist 25 years or even a decade ago. We probably can’t imagine what media formats may develop in the years to come. Still, communications professionals must stay aware of these trends and move quickly to adopt what is new while not discarding what is traditional in the process.