EvolveMKD, a New York City-based digital marketing and communications firm, partnered with global market research firm Ipsos, on a two-part survey, the “Evolution of Communication,” that explores the credibility of media outlets and perceptions of news stories. EvolveMKD surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers and 500 media professionals online to better understand the changing communications landscape.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9141851-evolvemkd-unveils-evolution-of-communication-survey-and-report/
This research shows that the majority of consumers and media professionals agree that media is just as, if not more, important now than ever before. But they disagree on both the role the media plays in society and on the legitimacy of media outlets. Nearly 40% of consumers surveyed say the media focuses more on creating entertainment rather than reporting the news, directly conflicting with what consumers say they prefer from media. Nearly half of consumers believe the media has an agenda (45%) and 41% believe the media is biased.
These findings confirm what we’ve known for years about how consumers view media, but the survey did find many interesting trends. Here are a few highlights:
The media doesn’t realize their audiences don’t trust them.
When asked how their audiences would describe them, the media picked words like “trustworthy”, “credible”, “authentic” or “truthful.” Meanwhile, responses from consumers were that the media is “biased”, “political,” or “deceitful.”
Generational differences determine how media is consumed and perceived.
Younger Americans (ages 18-44) are more likely to think media is more important compared to their older counterparts (45 and older), and that is in part because of the rise of social media and its impact on how we consume media.
Why this matters?
Media professionals and communications experts can use this survey and its takeaways as a guide for telling stories for different audiences. “This is our second year undertaking a research project to get a better understanding of how Americans communicate and how that impacts our clients and the communications industry as a whole,” said Megan Driscoll, CEO and Founder of EvolveMKD. “Telling a meaningful story through earned media is getting more complicated, this data highlights how to leverage client assets to reach a skeptical audience with what they will consider news they can use.”
To learn more about the “Evolution of Communication: From Fake News to News You Can Use,” download the full survey findings, or learn more visit EvolveMKD.com/research.
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