![]() ![]() What is new is that younger users are now staying informed about the latest news via social media platforms, research from Ofcom has shown. The dawn of social media platforms shook up the way in which we consume media, mixing up the variety of channels, the amount of time we spend on each and the types of devices we use. Media consumption is changing, but that’s not news to most. This could further accelerate the growth in consumers trusting social media as a news outlet.For teens, social media isn’t just about entertainment, it’s also where they’re finding news content – and that puts additional responsibilities on brands, suggests Sarah Penny of Influencer Intelligence. "At the same time, the erosion of trust in politics is damaging confidence in traditional news outlets by fostering a growing tribalism, creating biases and heightening scepticism. ![]() "Although trust in social media as a news outlet has understandably been affected by concerns around disinformation across the generational divide, social media nonetheless has the power to democratize opinion, allowing users to have their say and be heard," Penny continued. "We have seen this generational divide exemplified by the relationships with and perceptions of influencers among different consumers, with younger generations in particular showing strong levels of trust towards them, connecting on a personal level with their favorite creators and naturally therefore leaning on them not only for recommendations but also for information," said Penny. The role of the influencer on social media is also changing the dynamic. "Social influencers who have large following among this age demographic are in the privileged position of being able to educate and share information with their impressionable - and often vulnerable - young audiences, so being accountable for the kinds of messages and news sources they choose to share on their own platforms should be at the forefront of their minds before clicking share." ![]() "More often than not, social influencers popular with 11-16 year olds are of a similar - if not slightly older - age range to their biggest fans, so it’s understandable that these young audiences would be more inclined to believe and trust the opinions and sources being shared by those they consider to be a likeminded peers," he noted. "This does highlight how mainstream media can utilize the news being shared on socials in their own news agendas to gain back the readership of younger audiences," said O'Brien. It is also worth noting that even as teens and younger audiences are consuming their news from social media, some 30 percent do acknowledge it is less reliable than traditional media, but continue to rate the services more highly due to platforms serving up a range of opinions on the most topical stories. ![]() Instead, they turn more readily to more traditional news outlets for their information including newspapers, TV and radio." "In comparison, older demographics have grown up in an environment without social media or with more restricted access, and may be less trusting of these channels. "This naturalization of social media among younger demographics means they have a high degree of trust in the channels and the channels have also developed to cater to this change in usage, providing informative and educational content to this audience as well as entertainment and inspiration," she added. "Teenagers are part of the digital-first generation which has grown up with readily available and easily accessible social media channels wherever they are around the clock, seeing it as simply another content channel," said Sarah Penny, content & research director at Influencer Intelligence. O'Brien further noted that some actual news stories being shared by mainstream outlets had originated on platforms such as TikTok or Youtube, which serves to demonstrate the need for traditional media to stay up to date with social platforms and stay relevant to matters important to younger audiences when attempting to gain their interest. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |