News: Time To Lock In Edition

INDUSTRY

Comparison of Print News and Online News

In print news:

- The production of news is in the hands of journalists, editors and printers. 

- Distribution of news is by organisations that send it to newsagents. Some control over the publications that are distributed, not over the content of the publications.

- Newsagents and other retailers sell the newspapers (circulation) 
- Producers control news content. 

In online news, the situation is less clear. Distribution and circulation are combined by websites and social media. There are many more news producers due to ease of access (including amateurs). Social media websites like Facebook have control over what specific audiences see thanks to algorithms, which can often recreate the echo chambers made by audience bias in print circulation. 

The dominance of online news means that exclusives have become less valuable as the news cycle has shortened and an exclusive can be replicated by competitors near instantly. Reliance on formats such as gossip, lifestyle journalisms, opinion sections and sports journalism offer unique takes on the content that appeals to specific audiences to minimise risk (Hesmondhalgh). 

Social media companies are now the most crucial gatekeepers of news despite their lack of editorial control. This is due to the way social media websites use algorithms in order to maintain a hold on their audiences and keep them engaged by feeding them content that directly appeals to them. Their lack of editorial control however is what leads to fake news and clickbait that certain less favourable news sites replicate. 

Influence of contexts

In free market economies, print and online journalism is driven by profit (Apart from public organisations: The BBC). The flight of advertising revenue from print to online social media in the mid 2010s starved journalism of funds. This has led to a decline in journalism that generates expenses rather than profit (International journalism, investigative reporting) and a rise in the cheaper alternative that minimises risk. Lifestyle, opinions, celebrity news and sports are all safer bets in the modern day. 

The economic dominance of social media companies who trade in attention span by generating intense emotions means that new age news values are driven by this imperative as well as the need for images. 

The ownership and control of news

Newspapers are different from other industries in the sense they are not usually profitable but are seen as a means of gaining political and social influence. This means that they, unlike other media forms, are owned by rich individuals rather than conglomerates. News businesses specialise almost exclusively in news (and sometimes magazines) rather than a range of media. 

While there are recently started internet only news providers like Buzzfeed, traditional broadcasters and newspapers still dominate online news by the power of their authoritative brands. 

The contrasting ownership models of the Guardian (A trust) and the Mail (DMG and Lord Rothermere) and their differing ethos - the Guardian as a campaigning liberal newspaper and the Mail as a populist mass market newspaper. 

Influence of contexts: Part II

Media plurality is a live political issue. Concentration of ownership is limited by regulators such as the Competition and Markets Authority. This is political and economic context: the government has set up this agency as free markets require competition to work effectively. 

The role of press freedom in democratic politics is important as it acts a Fourth Estate. Serious newspapers should retain editorial freedom instead of being mouthpieces for their owners. The Leveson Inquiry found the close relationship between politicians and newspaper owners says that this does not restrict the influence wielded by owners. 

Funding

Comparison of traditional printing models - advertising and cover price - and diversified sources of funding for online and print news - paywalls, subscriptions, advertising, events, sales, sponsored material etc. 

The Guardian uses a 'supporter' strategy - relying on subscriptions and donations from loyal readers as well as advertising in order to make their journalism more accessible to everybody. Where as the Mail is more traditional with its reliance on advertising can be seen in the high volume of news on its website, where as the Guardian is more precise and selective with its picks. 

Influence of contexts: Part III

New economic opportunities are offered by the internet (Globalisation) are limited by the cultural expectation of free online content. 

News industries are subject to the conflict between economic pressure to insert brands and marketing and the cultural context of ethics that insist on the separation of money and journalism. 

The cultural esteem given to print publications maintains print editions in the face of increasing cost to income ratios. 

The political context of arguments about funding of journalism may lead to new funding streams. 

The impact of technological change on news, especially digital convergent media platforms

Immediacy and audience interactivity in online news influences how news industries sell themselves to audiences and enables the synergy between online and print brands (The former bringing immediacy, the latter bringing authority).

Growth of citizen journalism, e.g. use of mobile phone footage by mainstream news outlets, influences 

Influence of contexts: Part IV

AUDIENCE

Audience Information

How audiences are categorised by news industries

Daily Mail - 52% Female, Large majority is older than 55. Spread around the country with a slight majority in London. Working class. 

The Guardian - 51% Male, younger people read it, still majority in older gen. Majority from London. Middle class. 

How news producers target, attract, reach, address and potentially construct audiences through content and marketing?
Different sections in the Daily Mail: Inspire, The Verdict, Good Health, Money Mail, Travel Mail, Femail. 

The Guardian has regular divisions of News, Finance, Puzzles, Opinion and Sport in their papers. 

Influence of contexts

The impact of consumerism

The impact of Feminism
Multiculturalism and changing attitudes to sexualities have increased the range of minorities addressed by newspapers. 

Political and historical events and issues will affect how unified or polarised the newspaper is percieved to be - polarisation in the Brexit debate, for example, has been accentuated by newspapers targeting specific sides in the issue. 

The interrelationship between media technologies and news consumption and response

The relationship between print technology and the reader experience - for example guidance by page layout such as the impact of banner headlines and large photographs. Increasing demands for immediacy and interactivity with online technology meaning a lower expectation of what counts as news. 

Influence of contexts: Part II

The social and cultural expectations of choice, control and participation associated with online media in a consumerist society are in tension with the cultural authority given to print newspapers when compared to websites.

The economic context of successful online competition with print journalism and the collapse of the latter's revenues. 

Influence