However, what you read today will not be the same tomorrow, as the media industry is constantly changing, with the world expanding and adapting to new scenarios every day. And it’s up to journalists to keep the public abreast of these ever-changing events.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the media has changed in 2021:
1. Digital media continue to dominate
With people being more cautious than ever and continuing to distance themselves socially, consumers have fled to online platforms to hone their social skills.
It is on these platforms that users expect to get information, be entertained, and connect with friends and family. This means that more and more people are relying on online publications and social media for information rather than choosing a print newspaper or magazine.
In February, The New York Times published an article saying they officially passed 7.5 million online subscriptions. It shows how serious people are about paying for quality journalism, and they continue to support digital media for access to reliable sources.
2. Consumers avoid the news
Thanks to the wide spread of disinformation, readers are left with three options:
- they can either pay a subscription to a reliable information source
- they can learn to identify fake news, or
- they can just avoid the news all together.
Guess what countless readers have decided? Yes, it’s true, avoid the news.
The number of people who say they often or always avoid news has increased from 15% mid-April 2020 to 22% mid-May. That means 59% of readers actively avoid news, according to a study by The conversation.
Surprisingly, when faced with the reason why Why they avoid the news, they have not attributed their justification to the dissemination of fake news.
In fact, 66% of them said the main reason was that there were a lot of negative stories in the world. This includes news on COVID-19, lack of vaccines, and other issues, such as the recent looting and riots in South Africa.
This type of information can increase people’s anxiety levels, which means it might be time for online publications to devote a section to only positive news to make sure they don’t waste time. readers.
3. POPIA has an impact on the way journalists report news
With the entry into force of the Privacy Act on July 1, many questions have arisen as to how this will affect the South African media industry and how journalists will be expected to report on it. current events.
According to Article 7 of the POPIA law does not apply “To the processing of personal information for the sole purposes of journalistic, literary or artistic expression to the extent that such exclusion is necessary to reconcile, in the public interest, the right to privacy with the right to freedom of expression.
This means that as a journalist in South Africa there must be a “balance between the right to privacy and the right to freedom of expression.
Media enthusiasts should therefore consider the following:
- The processing of information for exclusively journalistic purposes.
- The code of ethics to which they are linked, which adequately protects personal data when processing information.
This means that while there is still some leeway when it comes to how you report certain stories, you should still be careful and ask yourself, “Can sharing this personal information cause harm?” to the person concerned ? And “Does the public really benefit from viewing this personal information?” If your answers to these questions are “no” then do not include it in your article.
What other changes have you seen or experienced in the media industry over the past year? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
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Want to learn more about the issues that the media landscape has faced? So look The problem with the media industry in 2020.
* Image courtesy of Pexels
Media industry Changes in the media industry 2021 Media in 2021 The media industry in 2021
