Contact:
Robyn Massey
+44-(0)20-7611-3658
London, January 12, 2009
- Local newspapers have highest reach amongst consumers
- Speech radio has equal credibility with advice from family and friends
- Major broadcast networks (terrestrial and satellite/cable) also have strong credibility ratings
Big media brands, advice from friends and family, and speech radio are the most influential sources when it comes to the way the British make key decisions, according to a Media Myths & Realities survey conducted by Ketchum and Bournemouth University Media School. It shows that while today’s consumers are accessing a range of different media platforms, they find established media brands the most credible, whether viewing them through traditional formats or online.
The survey revealed that when purchasing a product based on environmental impacts or making financial decisions, British consumers are more likely to rely on information from news services such as newspapers, television and radio and on advice from family and friends than on information found on blogs or through social networking sites.
“The study shows that with so many choices available, people are continuing to rely most on the sources that have served them the longest and the ones they already know and trust”, said Ketchum UK Senior Media Specialist and former BBC correspondent Richard Griffiths. “This is a loyalty that is strongly expressed amongst consumers of all ages. Consumer-generated blogs and other sites may be popular, but citizen journalism is not replacing the reliance and trust placed in professional journalists”.
The Media Myths & Realities survey, an annual study now in its third year, has been undertaken in the UK for the first time. It examines consumer use of more than 40 media channels, ranging from newspapers to podcasts.
Search Engines a Key Source for Delivering All Media
Along with news services and friends and family, consumers also rely heavily on search engines, which provide quick access to a range of online sources — from familiar media brands to company Web sites and consumer blogs.
“The biggest rise in use and credibility has been search engines such as Google and Yahoo”, said Griffiths. “As they deliver news to millions of desktops and enable consumers to quickly sift through multiple sources, they are now perceived as news brands themselves although much of the content is sourced from traditional wire services”.
The survey found three other trends in media usage:
- Local newspapers have a reach that is much higher than expected. Although sales of paid-for local media have been declining for a long time, the numbers of people who read local papers, mainly weekly freesheets, is on a par with consumption of national newspapers.
- In the UK, big media brands are more credible, with consumers placing most trust in the Web sites of national and local newspapers, national and regional TV stations, cable news and speech radio stations. Less credibility was given to social networking sites, shopping Web sites, e-mail newsletters and videocasts.
- Blogs by journalists were seen as marginally more credible than those by nonjournalists or by MPs. There was also much less use of political blogs than there is in the US, where they are considered to have been an important factor in the past two presidential election campaigns.
“The survey found that consumers are ultimately seeking voices of ‘authority’ for information”, said Dr Tom Watson, Deputy Dean at Bournemouth University Media School. “One of the greatest impacts of blogs and news feeds is that they’ve given people additional channels through which to access established and already credible sources. As a result, the importance of traditional news gathering and journalism has been reinforced, rather than there being a swing to citizen journalism”.
Dr Watson also pointed to importance of speech-based radio in the UK. “The data clearly shows that news and information, primarily from BBC sources, has very high credibility for Britons,” he commented. “It is almost equal to family and friends and ahead of TV/satellite/cable and national newspapers.”
One strong indication from the survey is that any company that does not have a search strategy now will be irrelevant. Search engines rank first among the sources that general consumers in the UK rely on for information, with 75 percent of consumers using them. Influencers — the 10 to 15 percent of the population who initiate change in their communities or society — relied more on search engines than did general consumers.
Word-of-mouth, whether in-person or online, has very high credibility. Advice from family and friends is a significant source of information, with 53 percent of Britons saying they rely on this advice. Credibility of friends and family also is high, with 78 percent of consumers in the UK.
The survey also highlighted several differences in the ways people consume media in Britain, Brazil and the US. These include that consumers in the UK read national newspapers at nearly three times the rate of consumers in the US (53 percent compared with 18 percent). Brazilians are even higher at 62 percent.
“While there are many similarities in the ways consumers across continents use media, some of the differences can be a significant factor in whether messages reach consumers”, said Ketchum UK and EMEA CEO David Gallagher. “Multinational companies, in particular, should be aware of these differences”.
About the Survey
The UK survey compares the media usage habits of 500 adult British consumers, including 200 influential citizens, or “influencers” – the 10 to 15 percent of the population who initiate changes in their community or society through a variety of activities.
The US portion of the survey included 1,000 adult Americans (including 200 influencers) and 500 communications industry professionals, while the Brazil portion surveyed 500 adult consumers (including 200 influencers) The definition of an influencer was consistent for these countries, allowing for cultural and political differences within each country. The survey did not include communications professionals in the UK and Brazil.
The survey was conducted through online distribution at various times between Sept. 30 and Oct. 18, 2008.
This research builds upon a study conducted by Ketchum and the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center from 2006 to 2008.
About Ketchum
A communications innovator, Ketchum ranks among the largest global public relations agencies, operating in more than 50 countries. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty areas that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Sports and Entertainment Marketing, and Stromberg Consulting (change management and workplace communications), Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communications expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit
www.ketchum.com.
About Bournemouth University Media School
The Media School at Bournemouth University is the largest centre of professional higher education for the media and communications industries in the UK. Its reputation for studies in public relations, advertising, journalism and media production plus its research and knowledge transfer activities has a track record dating back 25 years. Through its Centre for Excellence in Media Practice, BU's Media School is pioneering professional media higher education. According to The Guardian University Guide (2009), BU is the highest rated new university in the UK. http://media.bournemouth.ac.uk/
Keywords :