Burnout, podcasts and news bundles: what does recent research say about news media?

Wished by many but achieved by few, digital disconnection strategies are tough to practice without a fault. While in the short term news organisations might prefer their journalists to stay as online as possible, in the long run managing digital connectedness should be encouraged as a strategy — it not only helps the journalists but also the quality of journalism.

Are people interested in your podcast? 

• Harrison, J., W., A., Francombe, J., Pike, C., & Murphy, D. T. (2023). The relationship between environmental context and attentional engagement in podcast listening experiences. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1074320

There are millions of podcasts out there, but most get few if any listeners. What factors are impacting how attentively a listener tunes into a podcast? Turns out the environment – everything that surrounds a person during their listening experience – is an important factor to consider

This group of researchers has looked at different factors to “identify and investigate how different factors of environmental context might relate to listeners’ attentional engagement when consuming podcasts using a smartphone”.

Outdoors: day or night, hot or cold? 

People tend to be more attentive during the day when they are outdoors. But the level of engagement depends on the time of the day. The research found that, in light conditions, people are more attentive.

During darker hours, the research found lower engagement among the listeners. The primary reason is a concern for personal safety. People are more cautious of their surroundings and they don’t want to drown out the noises.

The good news is that it doesn’t matter whether it is cold or warm outside, so at least you don’t need to compete with the weather too – unless the weather is extreme and significantly lowers the attentional ability of the listener.

Indoors 

Again, when comparing light to dark and warm to cold, it is not surprising that podcasts were listened to more attentively in light and warm conditions when at home. Listening indoors in cold conditions, though, negatively influenced engagement levels. The research also found that in dark conditions indoors are better than outdoors when it comes to the engagement and attention of the listeners. 

Evenings: weekends or weekdays?

Weekend evenings are the spot to hit if you want more listeners, but they are equally bad for engagement. The research also showed that people mostly enjoy listening to podcasts when relaxing before sleep, but you are running into the risk of losing your audience halfway. Some respondents even mentioned using podcasts for this very reason – to fall asleep. 

Soundscape might tell you if you have a devoted listener  

While the study does not have a clear-cut answer on the influence of surrounding sounds on listeners, there are a couple of interesting thoughts.  People are less engaged in noisy environments. But those who are are more likely to be more concentrated on the podcast and form the parasocial bond with the hosts, turning to their familiar voices when in an overwhelming environment. That means that when in a public space with stressful or disturbing elements, these people are using a podcast to feel safe and comfortable. While this kind of relationship is a hard one to coin, it is something for producers and creators to strive for. 

Physical exercise: time for podcasts? 

When in workout sessions, it is common to see people with headphones. Of course, music is a popular choice, but there are still many who listen to podcasts while exercising. Respondents showed various levels of engagement while working out in the gym, taking a walk or on a run. Running in particular showed good attention levels among all of the other exercises. This might be partly because exercise generally helps in sustaining attention for prolonged periods of time.

Spotify for news: what attracts audiences to the subscription bundles

• Buschow, C.; Wellbrock, C.-M. “Spotify for News”? User Perception of Subscription-Based Content Platforms for News Media. Journal. Media. 2023, 4, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia4010001

Spotify-like bundles for news have been top of mind for many publishers in recent years, particularly since Apple launched Apple News+, a subscription-based platform that bundles content from different news publishers. Not much has been said about the acceptance and adoption of paid-for bundled platforms among news readers. Recent research looks at how readers perceive these platforms and what they are looking for.

Content, quality and exclusiveness

This factor might seem obvious but it is also a good reminder that content is king and that you need to pay attention to what you put in the bundle. One of the first things that the participants of the study mentioned was the importance of the news content included in the offer. Brand popularity, exclusive content and diverse subjects are how users judge the quality of content on platforms. 

Usability, design and complexity 

News aggregators are most appealing for being a “one-stop-shop”, where readers don’t have to pay for multiple subscriptions. Everything that people like on Netflix – easy registration, quick and precise search functions along with a personal archive and an “abstract” function that explains what to expect inside – they are expecting to see in the subscription bundle. Recommendations, on other hand, are sometimes met with scepticism as users feel that it limits them to their own echo chamber. 

Trust

Transparency and neutrality – or their absence – can sway users one way or the other. Participants of the study said that aggregators should have regulatory and quality control, much like journalistic platforms. For instance, publishing company principles and editorial guidelines on the platform and also taking action, if necessary.

Make your bundle a worthy investment

When you think of a price for the bundle, you want to hit the golden middle. Readers also prefer to pay a flat rate rather than a pay-per-use tariff, even though it might mean that, in the long term, they will be paying more. Many users expect an ad-free experience, like Spotify and Netflix provide. Free testing function, a trial period and the possibility of sharing an account with family or friends are important key factors for users when picking bundles. 

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