opinion
Local news media have large audiences, are trusted, and are effective. So why are governments still spending nearly six times as much on technology platforms?
Today, in a week where the news industry celebrates the annual Journalism Matters campaign, new audience data from Jicred, the audience measurement currency for local news media, reveals that 42 million people read local titles in print and digital every month. It was shown that there is.
It’s worth thinking about this number for a moment. 42 million people.
This means that 77% of GB’s population aged 15 and over access local news media content at least once a month. That’s an impressive statistic.
Enders Analysis, in a report published in local news media in August, described online traffic in this area as “mind-boggling” and said that these large audiences were highly engaged. He pointed out that he was working on it.
Reach’s local titles alone drive more traffic than Instagram and TikTok, the report added.
These numbers prove that people are hungry for local news and information, and local news media is meeting this demand.
A unique but largely underutilized opportunity
There is no doubt that the sector faces considerable challenges in adapting to the digital future. But as Enders made clear, the industry continues to innovate to meet these challenges head-on, while still providing its core service of trusted local journalism.
For example, industry public notice portals leverage the power of online local media to expand the reach of public notices and strengthen democratic engagement.
The portal has been developed by industry with £1m of funding from the Google News Initiative, following extensive consumer research and consultation with local and national government.
This is a great example of how the sector is working to provide something of real value to its audience.
Enders points out that the services that local news media provide to democratic societies are currently severely undervalued within commercial markets. As such, the sector offers a “unique opportunity that is barely exploited.”
Huge value is left on the table
This same idea is expressed in more explicit commercial terms. conclusion Newsworks found that in 2021, brands missed out on £2.7bn of potential ROI by underinvesting in news brands.
And although the gap is closing, it is predicted that brands will still miss out on £2bn by 2025. This still leaves a huge amount of value.
A new analysis of the IPA Databank by effectiveness expert Peter Field published by Newsworks earlier this year found that the relationship between trust in news brands and advertisers’ profit growth has increased sharply over the past decade. It turned out that there was.
As AI enhances the ability of bad actors to create and distribute misinformation, trust, one of the key strengths of local news media, will become a key factor in brand profitability. I am.
The central government has recognized the benefits of increasing investment in local news media during the pandemic through the ‘All Together’ campaign.
But despite this case study on news media effectiveness, governments still spend nearly six times as much on technology platforms despite well-documented issues with misinformation and malicious actors. I am.
Who can you really trust?
Jicred’s latest audience data shows the local news media sector is reaching a huge audience.
We are a highly trusted source of local news and information, and trust is an increasingly important driver of brand profitability.
As we celebrate Journalism Matters this week, we encourage all advertisers and media agencies to consider the untapped potential that local media offers for your business.
By working together, we can drive business success while supporting local journalism, which makes a huge contribution to communities across the UK.
Danny Camiard is vice president of the News Media Association
