7 Questions To Test Your Understanding Of News Habits
How well do you understand how people consume news and what does that say about the tools we use to tell stories?
Since 2012, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has published an annual “state of the news” survey detailing people’s attitudes about journalism. The 2016 survey included responses from more than 50,000 news consumers and contains dozens upon dozens of valuable insights.
In case you don’t have time to read the entire 120+ page report, we built a short quiz that’ll cover the highlights and a few surprises. Click on the * to reveal the correct answer or you can wait until the end to tally your score.
Question 1
We’re in the age of aggregated and distributed content! Brands don’t matter anymore, right?
True / False?
Question 2
Our smartphone obsession 📱 goes hand-in-hand with the shift to distributed content across multiple platforms.
True / False?
Question 3
So distributed platforms > dedicated apps.
True / False?
Question 4
Mark Zuckerberg’s word is gospel: online news video is the Next Big Thing, and our Facebook newsfeeds may well be all video in five years.
True / False?
Question 5
People are more likely to trust individual journalists than faceless news organizations.
True / False?
Question 6
People love their machines and actually prefer algorithms over human editors recommending stories.
True / False?
Question 7
People prefer getting their news from social networks because it’s just easier.
True / False?
Answers
Question 1
We’re in the age of aggregated and distributed content! Brands don’t matter anymore, right?
It’s Complicated.
- True: You’re right! And wrong! Isn’t the complexity of humankind amazing? In the US, only 52% and 49% of respondents say they notice the news brands that supplied the content on social media and aggregators, respectively (and compare that to aggregation-heavy places like Japan and South Korea, where just one-third to one-half of people notice the brands that create the actual news content on aggregation platforms). And yet, brands do still matter. 69% of respondents access a newspaper brand online once a week, 62% a broadcaster brand, and 45% a digital-born brand. And when asked about their MAIN news source, people still said they were much more likely to turn to an established brand known for serious news. (Digital News Report 2016)
- False: You’re right! And wrong! Isn’t the complexity of humankind amazing? In the US, only 52% and 49% of respondents say they notice the news brands that supplied the content on social media and aggregators, respectively (and compare that to aggregation-heavy places like Japan and South Korea, where just one-third to one-half of people notice the brands that create the actual news content on aggregation platforms). And yet, brands do still matter. 69% of respondents access a newspaper brand online once a week, 62%a broadcaster brand, and 45%a digital-born brand. And when asked about their MAIN news source, people still said they were much more likely to turn to an established brand known for serious news. (Digital News Report 2016)
Question 2
Our smartphone obsession 📱 goes hand- in-hand with the shift to distributed content across multiple platforms.
True!
- True: Smart cookie! 🍪 Even taking into account the fact that smartphone users tend to be younger and more social media-savvy, people are way more likely to use social media as their main source of news stories on smartphones, rather than going through websites or apps in what’s known as “branded entry.” Smartphones are the least-used tool to access news via branded entry (41% of respondents vs. 48% computer vs. 49% tablet) and the most-used tool to access news via social entry (28% smartphone vs. 22% computer vs. 21% tablet). (Digital News Report 2016)
- False *Insert annoying beeper noise* Wrong! Even taking into account the fact that smartphone users tend to be younger and more social media-savvy, people are way more likely to use social media as their main source of news stories on smartphones, rather than going through websites or apps in what’s known as “branded entry.” Smartphones are the least-used tool to access news via branded entry (41% of respondents vs. 48% computer vs. 49% tablet) and the most-used tool to access news via social entry (28% smartphone vs. 22% computer vs. 21% tablet). (Digital News Report 2016)
Question 3
So distributed platforms > dedicated apps.
False!
- True: Slow down there, Nelly! Apps aren’t dead yet! Even brands like BuzzFeed (arguably the 👑 yaaas queen 👑 of platforms and distributed content) have started to invest more in apps as a destination for a core group of educated, news-hungry, loyal users. A few well-established media brands also continue to attract most of their traffic directly with apps. (Digital News Report 2016)
- False: That’s right, apps aren’t dead yet! Even brands like BuzzFeed (arguably the 👑 yaaas queen 👑 of platforms and distributed content) have started to invest more in apps as a destination for a core group of educated, news-hungry, loyal users. A few well-established media brands also continue to attract most of their traffic directly with apps. (Digital News Report 2016)
Question 4
Mark Zuckerberg’s word is gospel: online news video is the Next Big Thing, and our Facebook newsfeeds may well be all video in five years.
False!
- True: Maybe not! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Who knows what the Zuck is up to next (although whatever it is, it’s probably not good for publishers), but here’s what research tells us: video may be A Big Thing, but growth is slower than what you’d probably expect from all the industry chatter and the resources being poured into video at every news org. Only 24% of people say they access online news video in a given week; the vast majority (78%) still rely primarily on text, with only occasional forays into video. Score one for the written word! (Digital News Report 2016)
- False: Discerning eye! 👀 Who knows what the Zuck is up to next (although whatever it is, it’s probably not good for publishers), but here’s what research tells us: video may be A Big Thing, but growth is slower than what you’d probably expect from all the industry chatter and the resources being poured into video at every news org. Only 24% of people say they access online news video in a given week; the vast majority (78%) still rely primarily on text, with only occasional forays into video. Score one for the written word! (Digital News Report 2016)
Question 5
People are more likely to trust individual journalists than faceless news organizations.
False!
- True: Unfortunately, patently false. In nearly every country surveyed (thanks for blowing the curve, France! 🇫🇷), journalists are trusted less than news organizations. In the US, 30% of people trust news organizations most of the time, while 27% trust journalists most of the time. That disparity is even higher in places like the UK (42% trust news organizations, 29% trust journalists), which might be attributed to the strong tabloid press culture. (Digital News Report 2016)
- False: Yup! In nearly every country surveyed (thanks for blowing the curve, France! 🇫🇷), journalists are trusted less than news organizations. In the US, 30% of people trust news organizations most of the time, while 27% trust journalists most of the time. That disparity is even higher in places like the UK (42% trust news organizations, 29% trust journalists), which might be attributed to the strong tabloid press culture. (Digital News Report 2016)
Question 6
People love their machines and actually prefer algorithms over human editors recommending stories.
True!
- True: All hail our new mechanical overlords! It’s true, 36% of people would prefer reading news stories curated for them by an algorithm on the basis of their reading history. In comparison, 30% voted for the judgment of editors and journalists. On the bright side, the opinions of editors and journos are held in higher regard than those of friends — only 22% of people want suggestions automatically based on what their friends have consumed. Ah, the power of friendship 💖 (Digital News Report 2016)
- False: Time to accept the reign of our new mechanical overlords. Actually, 36% of people would prefer reading news stories curated for them by an algorithm on the basis of their reading history. In comparison, 30% voted for the judgment of editors and journalists. On the bright side, the opinions of editors and journos are held in higher regard than those of friends — only 22% of people want suggestions automatically based on what their friends have consumed. Ah, the power of friendship 💖 (Digital News Report 2016)
Question 7
People prefer getting their news from social networks because it’s just easier.
True!
- True: No doubt! Social networks are great one-stop shops for news, and UX plays a big role in that. 60% of people love breaking news alerts and notifications, and 50% appreciate being able to access a variety of sources through social media. Meanwhile, the “social” in “social media” is less important than you might think — only 35% of respondents say they care about the ease of commenting and sharing news with their networks. (Digital News Report 2016)
- False: Whaaat? Do you even tweet? Social networks are great one-stop shops for news, and UX plays a big role in that. 60% of people love breaking news alerts and notifications, and 50% appreciate being able to access a variety of sources through social media. Meanwhile, the “social” in “social media” is less important than you might think — only 35% of respondents say they care about the ease of commenting and sharing news with their networks. (Digital News Report 2016)
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