1. STATE OF MEDIA 2012
(AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU)
Dr. Elizabeth Hendrickson
JEM 499: Aug. 26, 2012

2. WHAT IS THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
PROJECT FOR EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM?
AN ANNUAL
(NON-PROFIT, NON PARTISAN)
REPORT ON AMERICAN JOURNALISM
IN 2011, PEJ wrote, “The news industry, late to adapt and
culturally more tied to content creation than engineering, finds
itself more a follower than leader shaping its business.”
IN 2012: This phenomenon has increased.

3. Technology giants increasing power to be
makers of “everything” in our digital lives.
Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, others…
• Make the hardware people use
• Make the operating systems that run those devices
• Make the browsers on which people navigate
• Make the email services on which they communicate
• Make the social networks on which they share
• Make the web platforms on which they shop and play.

4. QUESTION:
• Will technology giants decide to acquire
major legacy news brands as part of the
“everything” they offer?
• Recent partnerships indicate this might
become increasing reality.
• (For example: YouTube is funding Reuters to
produce original news shows)

5. Other significant trends
Mobile may be leading to deeper experience
with news than desktop/laptop computer.
• 27% of Americans get news on mobile devices.
• This means they are more likely to be using news
organization app to get news, rather than search or
recommendations.
• Consumers are reading more immersively on these
devices than earlier technology.

6. Other significant trends
Social media are important but not
overwhelming drivers of news, at least
not yet.
• 54% of online Americans are active Facebook
users. Yet notion that most get their news mainly
from friend recommendations does not hold up.
• Most still going directly to news site or app.

7. Other significant trends
News viewership on television grew in
unexpected venues.
• Audiences for all three traditional broadcast
television networks grew by 4.5%.
• Cable also grew, with CNN (16%+) and MSNBC
(3%+), while Fox (still ratings leader) had second
year of decline.

8. Other significant trends
More news outlets moving to digital
subscriptions as a matter of survival.
• 150 publications have moved to some kind of
digital subscription model, it’s expected that 100
more papers will join them.
• Industry predictions are that in five years
newspapers will offer print home-delivered
newspaper only on Sunday, and maybe one or
two other days that account most print ad revenue.

9. Other significant trends
Privacy is becoming larger issue,
it’s impact on news is uncertain.
• News industry experiencing pressure: To make
digital advertising more effective ($$), gathering
of consumer data is likely essential.
• But news organizations must worry about
violating the trust of their audiences.
• The longer the news industry hesitates, the
bigger their market share loss. Catch-22?

10. Want to hear other findings
specific to your media interest?
Visit the PEJ homepage:
http://www.journalism.org/