Public service media, relationship with audiences, and forensic journalism – what does recent research say?

Welcome to another edition of The Fix’s research roundup. In this instalment, we take a look at three studies – how consumers view Spain’s public media service; the dynamics between European French-speaking local media and their audiences; the emerging phenomenon of forensic journalism. Let’s dive in.

“Consumers’ Paying Intent for Public Service Media in Spain: The Effect of RTVE Service Quality, Citizens’ Expenditure, and the Moderating Role of Age”

• Gergő Háló, Marcela Campos Rueda & Manuel Goyanes (2023). “Consumers’ Paying Intent for Public Service Media in Spain: The Effect of RTVE Service Quality, Citizens’ Expenditure, and the Moderating Role of Age”, Journalism Studies, 24:11, 1476-1495, DOI: 10.1080/1461670X.2023.2227287

Over the past decade or so, the media landscape has shifted tremendously. It is now the tech giants like Meta, Google and Netflix that dominate content consumption. And in this changed landscape, there is one segment of media that has been left striving for relevance and even acceptance: public service media. 

Rooted in traditional broadcasting, public service media has been struggling to strike a balance between maintaining independence and popularity. In 2020, Netflix overtook both BBC and ITV in capturing the 16–34 demographic, according to a report by BBC. A similar trend was observed in Spain too, where in 2020, over half of the total households with internet access preferred paywalled online platforms to public service media. Delving into the Spanish public service media (PSM), this study examines spending on news and entertainment services and the service quality of the Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española, Sociedad Anónima, S. M. E (RTVE) through an extensive survey conducted in 2021.

Public service media and financial support

The study delves into multiple factors that explain the unwillingness of consumers to pay for the content published by the PSM. It says that individuals who are spending more on services like Netflix or Spotify are less inclined to support PSM. This could be because people feel that they’re already spending enough on media and entertainment, or perhaps because they find more value in private services. Another factor that hampers the financial support for PSM is the perception that credible news is a basic public good that must be offered for free.

On the other hand, the willingness to support PSM is bolstered by service quality. A positive perception of RTVE’s service equals an increased paying intent. This underscores the necessity for PSM to consistently deliver high-quality content to attract financial support.

The age paradox

Then comes the age paradox. Surprisingly, younger consumers, particularly those who consider the quality of RTVE services to be high, display the highest willingness to pay. In comparison, older consumers aren’t willing to pay, irrespective of what they think of RTVE’s service quality. This is probably because younger audiences are familiar with subscription models like that of Netflix and therefore, they recognize the value of paywalled, high-quality content. The study also delves into multiple other factors that explain this behaviour of the younger and older demographic.

In its conclusion, the study emphasises that PSM needs to elevate its service and content quality. By staying attuned to the evolving needs of consumers and adapting to a multi-platform milieu, PSM can innovate and remain significant as well as engaging.

“European French-Speaking Local Media’s Relationship with Audiences. A Strategic Challenge between Diluted and Integrated Organizational Modalities”

• Olivier Standaert, Nathalie Pignard-Cheynel & Laura Amigo (2023). “European French-Speaking Local Media’s Relationship with Audiences. A Strategic Challenge between Diluted and Integrated Organizational Modalities”, Digital Journalism, DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2023.2234410.

The study delves into the evolving dynamics between local media in the French-speaking European regions and its audiences. The digital transition in the media production landscape in recent years has brought about some strategic changes to the relationship between media companies and audiences.

Focusing on Belgium, France and Switzerland, the study uses a database that details local media initiatives between 2018 and 2020. This data reveals that almost 75% of the initiatives actively involved the audience in news creation, marking the rise of participatory journalism. Despite that, it seems that media companies are finding it quite difficult to fortify their ties with their audiences. There are different strategies at play, some more opportunistic than others.

The study also involves 45 interviews across 11 French-speaking local news organisations between 2019 and 2020.

Building the bridge with audiences

Data suggests that in many newsrooms, there is a lack of personnel dedicated to fostering audience relations. And this lack of dedication is often attributed to overwhelming workload. However, there are some changes that are taking place. For instance, Médiacités, in 2018, appointed a dedicated journalist to bolster “readers’ commitment”, aligning audience relations with a modern, digital-centric business model.

Navigating the digital landscape

On an organisational level, digital tools may play a pivotal role in amplifying audience relations, but the approach remains largely bottom-up. In fact, historically, newsrooms had limited interaction with audiences, primarily focusing on advertising and subscriptions. Some local media organisations would often host large public events as a marketing strategy. But with a change in the business fundamentals now,  such endeavours are out of the question.

Today, while audience retention remains crucial, especially with dwindling advertising revenues, the approach to audience engagement is fragmented. This echoes the characteristics of the “companies in crisis” model defined by Osty, Sainsaulieu and Uhalde (2007). This means that the responsibility for audience interaction isn’t centralised: processes remain diluted and solutions are usually case-by-case basis without a dedicated person or team. Most initiatives within news organisations are grassroots, originating from individual journalists or small teams. These efforts, although promising, are disconnected from the organisation and hence, lack longevity.

Even though social media management roles are emerging, they vary in responsibility and placement within organisational hierarchies. A handful of media outlets have introduced strategic positions focused on audience engagement, reflecting a more integrated approach. But in general, the digital wave doesn’t automatically translate into strong bonds with the audiences and the efforts are far and few between.

Blurring the lines between editorial and commercial

The age-old relationship of church and state between editorial and the business of news is starting to blur. In this digital epoch, especially within European French-speaking local media, collaborations between the editorial and commercial teams are more frequent, albeit still on an ad hoc basis.

To sum it up, the digital era has transformed European French-speaking local media’s engagement with audiences, revealing a mix of integrated and sporadic strategies. As the lines between editorial and commercial content become less distinct, the challenge lies in harnessing the digital tools and still staying true to journalistic integrity.

“Day of Rage: Forensic journalism and the US Capitol riot”

• Gates, K. (2023). “Day of Rage: Forensic journalism and the US Capitol riot”. Media, Culture & Society, 0 (0). https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437231188449.

Rebuilding journalistic credibility in a dispersed media and political landscape is challenging. This study delves into how elite press video journalism is employing forensic methodologies and aesthetics, and focuses particularly on the New York Times Visual Investigations team.

The rise of forensic journalism

The modern era of fragmented politics and declining trust in journalism has seen a rise in the usage of forensic methods to present event narratives. In the US, the surge in forensic styles in news coincides with a significant transformation in the media landscape. This kind of content, from fictional crime stories to true crime shows, has become a staple in American entertainment, inviting viewers to engage directly with criminal investigations. A notable instance of this was the media coverage of the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot, which provided a detailed view of the incident and highlighted critical points with satellite imagery and freeze-frame techniques.

Many media houses now produce these kinds of reports, often mirroring the aesthetics of open source investigations. In many instances, journalists have innovatively merged legal, documentary and artistic mediums to mirror forensic investigations. The study also asks the question: Can these tools effectively counter disinformation and hold powerful entities accountable?

Use case: The New York Times Visual Investigations team

The study is largely focused on The New York Times Visual Investigations team and its work. It specifically examines the in-depth 40-minute report on the January 6 Capitol riot titled “Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol”.

“Day of Rage” exemplifies the chaos of today’s fragmented media and political domains, while also striving to address the political repercussions. The blend of raw video, surveillance clips and some forensic style made it a great example of an appealing piece of content. 

Despite all this though, forensic journalism faces the daunting task of competing for trust,  viewership and attention “under the same conditions of epistemic chaos and political fragmentation that led the rioters on their rampage into the Capitol building.”

Redefining “media coverage”

The study concludes with a pertinent reflection: There is a need to redefine “media coverage”, given the diverse media technologies now at our disposal. It isn’t just about recording and interpreting events; this new form of reporting also includes other media like satellite and security footage. According to the author, as the pool of source materials continues to grow, media experts need to look at how these materials can and are influencing journalism.

Source of the cover photo: https://unsplash.com