In 2008, then candidate Barack Obama’s campaign marked the unofficial beginning of the “new media wars” and his meteoric rise was credited in large part due to his embrace of leveraging alternative channels of news and information like social media apps and mobile targeting technology. Republicans were late to the game and struggled to course correct.
Now they’ve caught up. Thanks to the generationally rare talents, magnetism, and flare of Donald Trump – a perfect star for a fully matured digital news and social media environment – Republicans have leveled the playing field, and voters are realigning their consumption habits in this new era of vast and more trustworthy alternatives.
As a consumer, you probably already know this is true or have been a part of this shift. But it’s not just a sense, Cygnal has some data to back it up (go figure).
Topline Points:
- Cable news is trending downward
- Streaming and social are trending upward
- Crosspollination (multi-channel saturation) bolsters talk radio
- Local news most stable among preferences
Attention Spans:
- +3.4% saying they pay attention to news and politics a great deal
- 48% of first-time voters said they pay attention a moderate amount
- 79% of first-time voters used social media as their primary source
- 39% of swing voters also said they are moderately attentive
How do Americans consume news? Cygnal conducts a national voter trends (NVT) survey each month, and we’ve been asking voters about their news consumption habits and preferences. The results are surprising in some ways and not so much in others given the current political climate on the heels of another contentious presidential election.
Consumption rundown of primary news source from our latest poll:
- Social Media 41%
- Cable News 39%
- National TV 38%
- Local TV News 28%
- Other Websites 19%
- Podcasts 16%
- Newspapers 16%
Bottom line: trust in the legacy media is waning and the people are seeking new sources and better information.
Tips for creating a daily strategy for consuming news: the goal is to make it applicable to daily work and personally enriching. While it’s true that you likely don’t need to consume as much news from as nearly many sources as I do on a daily basis, it’s my hope this list can not only help you diversify your sources like you would with an investment portfolio, but also assist in calibrating an ideal delivery method and routine for staying informed.
Let’s dig into it:
- First, ask three critical questions: What news is most important to my job? What sources and mediums do I naturally prefer? What is the best way to balance being informed and not inundated?
- Next, identify how and when getting your news works best for your daily schedule. Are you going to get a mixture of email newsletters, social feeds, and podcasts? Will you read, listen, or watch your news during your commute or block some time on your calendar to check in? The point is: create boundaries, diversify delivery methods to fit your schedule, and avoid distractions and feelings of inundation.
- Last, refine and perfect your consumption habits over time. It’s okay to start with too much and pare it down from there.
But there’s so much out there:
- Simplify everything into two categories: passive and active. Reading your news is the most active form of consumption, even if that’s perusing headlines on an aggregator like Real Clear Politics or Drudge. Passive consumption can come in the form of talk radio, podcasts, social media, and TV news. Chances are you’re already attuned to popping in and out of actively consuming these sources.
- Aim for 50/50: give your brain a break, let go of retaining every detail, and divide your daily habits into half passive and half active. This could mean having the TV news on in the background while you get ready in the morning or listening to a podcast while you commute to work. Or it could mean setting aside time to read your favorite paper, scroll your feeds, or click through email newsletters.
- Save it for later: you’ll quickly find there are just some headlines that are too interesting to not click and read but you’re short on time. That’s okay, bookmark it, email it, save it for later. I often set aside longer reads or deeper subject matter to read over my coffee on a weekend morning.
- Prioritize social, choose a channel: many people have told me they have trouble reading news because the process seems to lack intent. Refer back to the key questions above but also consider picking a social media channel where you’d like to share the things you consume. Of course, don’t be that crazy aunt or uncle who posts nonstop to their feeds but pick a platform and frequency that works for you. The point is that consuming news with a general intent to share something you find particularly timely or interesting helps you narrow down what matters most and keeps your consumption in check.
So what? It’s a new year and the beginning of a new chapter in the news media realignment. There is no better time to embrace some new sources and conversations about the issues of today and develop a daily routine to stay informed, not inundated.