Print media is most influential

Question 1

Question

Answer 1

Evaluate the view that the print media remains more influential than broadcast or social media in the UK.

Question 2

Factors

Answer 2

• Print media
• Broadcast media
• Social media

Question 3

Judgement

Answer 3

Traditional media sources have become increasingly irrelevant.

Question 4

Weaker argument print media

Answer 4

→ 2024 Statistica survey - 39% of UK respondents still engage with print media, such as newspapers and magazines.
→ 2022: print media industry had a turnover of £13.7 billion and employed around 98,000 people - it is still relevant.
→ 58% of +65s still used printed newspapers as a source of information - they are the most likely to vote so it is relevant.

Question 5

Stronger argument print media

Answer 5

→ 2024 YouGov Poll - only 14% of people used print media as a news source.
→ Readership of the print media declined from 21.9 million 2010 to 10.4 million in 2018.
→ Readership has declined to 22% in 2024.
→ The Independent newspaper ceased all print production in 2016.
→ 238 local newspapers shut between 2005-2017.
→ Lack of trust in newspapers - hacking scandals and misprinting:
- News of the World hacked into the phone of the murdered teenager, Millie Dowler - this lead to the Leveson Inquiry,
- Hugh Grant and Prince Harry were both hacked by newspapers.

Question 6

Weaker argument broadcast media

Answer 6

2024
→ Broadcast media engagement fell from 70% in 2023 to 66% in 2024.
→ Online services had risen to 71% engagement.
→ Social media rose to 52% engagement.
→ Even in +55s social media in rising in popularity - 28% usage in 2024 compared to 23% in 2018.

Question 7

Stronger argument broadcast media

Answer 7

→ 2024 Ofcom report: TV and broadcast media is the most popular news source with 66% of the UK population engaging with broadcast media.
→ The main platform used by +55s is TV and broadcast media - 84% use broadcast media.
→ The top news source in 2024 was BBC One - 43% use the BBC.
→ 2024: YouGov poll - 58% use television to access the news.

Question 8

Weaker argument social media

Answer 8

→ 2024 Ofcom report: only 44% of people believe social media is accurate and 43% believe it is trustworthy.
→ People believe social media isn’t as trustworthy as traditional media:
- The Remain Campaign 2016 made misleading claims about Turkey joining the EU.
- In the 2017 GE the Sun argued that there were misleading claims made by Labour campaigners about the Conservatives planning to privatise the NHS.
→ In over 55s (who are the most likely to vote) social media is the type of media with least engagement.

Question 9

Stronger argument social media

Answer 9

→ 2024 YouGov poll: 43% of the population used social media as a news source.
→ Labour’s 2024 Digital Campaign Success: In the 2024 general election, the Labour Party invested over £6 million in digital strategies, deploying more than 100 “innovators” to engage voters through platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
→ Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, have utilized social media to gain support, particularly among younger voters.
→ The 2024 Ofcom report: 82% of social media users (for news consumption) were 16-24 years old. This suggests that social media is outperforming traditional media (newspapers were only used by 10% of 16-24 and broadcast by 41%) in the next generation and that traditional media will increasingly become irrelevant.
→ The 3rd largest news source (across all demographics) was Facebook.