The Pew Research center released its 2017 annual report regarding how American’s receive their news. They analyze numerous ways a person can access news and how they access their news and compare them to previous years.
After our JRN 450 class discussion about the possibilities that the 2017 report could hold, I decided to write down a couple hypotheses based on what I think may have changed within the past year.
Hypothesis 1: Apps and social media are how the majority of American’s receive their news.
The world has been dominated by technology. Standing in line waiting to order Starbucks, eating with friends at restaurants and even when people are stuck in traffic, people are continually on their phones. There’s an interesting article by Julie Beck called “Ignoring People For Phones Is The New Normal,” that shares her insight on the very apparent increase of cell phone usage in social settings and I agree with her viewpoint on the matter.
Hypothesis 2: Reading the news on actual paper isn’t a “thing” anymore.
Because of how technologically advanced our world is, newspapers are dying out. But that doesn’t mean that the company itself is dying out, just the act of printing words on paper that is becoming less and less common. I find more news companies turning toward different types of mediums and platforms to report their news,
Digital Media:
This chart was produced by Pew Research Center and was included in Pew’s Digital Media Fact’s Sheet.
Reaffirming my thought process that I stated above, mobile app availability is crucial to help news outlets to gain higher trafficking and another way to provide income to their business. I thought it was interesting to see that from 2016 to 2017 there was a decline in “Android Only” apps.
Either more people are switching over to Apple products or companies are making more apps specifically for Apple products. I’m interested to see where this leads in the future. Is it paving the way to eventually an Apple centered product world?
Newspapers
This chart was produced by Pew Research Center and included in Pew’s Newspaper Fact’s Sheet.
When I read Pew’s Newspaper Fact’s Sheet, I wasn’t surprised at the information that it entailed. It supported the second hypothesis that I made. According to the article, there has been a steady decline taking place since the early 2000’s. Since then, there has been faster and more advanced technology available. Also, social media such as Facebook and Snapchat were created and changed the way the whole world communicated.
Though I only touched upon the results of Newspapers and Digital Media, the Pew Research center did an exceptional job of covering all mediums and platforms. Reading this report made me reflect on how not only the way we receive news and information have changed drastically within the past couple of year, but how we communicate in general.
There are so many advantages to having access to the news by just a click of a button, but also it’s wasting away one of the most popular and well-known forms of communication that have been present in our world for so long. The Printing Press.
Newspaper companies aren’t the ones that are in trouble, in fact, I think they are doing a good job at adapting to the demands of the world that’s continually advancing in technology. It’s the art and action of printing a newspaper that is dying. Even though it can be disheartening to think about, it’s exciting to think about the future of how we report and receive news will unravel.
Spartans Innovate 
Hi Sophia,
I think it was a great idea to create your own hypotheses before looking into the reading. That way, you were able to form your own thoughts before reviewing anything further.
Referring to your comment about more people transition to Apple products, do you think its because devices like iPhones are user friendly and most apps and websites appear nicely on the screens? It’s all about user experience and I wonder if that has anything to do with this digital switch. Many of our daily needs revolve around our mobile device so maybe it is a good thing we have such easy access to such crucial resources such as the news. I am also eager to see how the future of the news industry will unravel.
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I appreciate your analysis that news companies aren’t what’s dying, it’s the “art and action of printing a newspaper” that is being phased out. I agree the news organizations are looking to adapt. The New York Times is looking for millennial writers to help craft a newsletter for our generation. The Washington Post and the Detroit Free Press regularly post links to their articles on social media. Snapchat news channels have been popping up.
My dislike for claims declaring newspapers dead comes from my belief that traditional news organizations and internet-native organizations need to be blended. I appreciate the authenticity of new news organizations, and I think it will help to check the news giants’ arrogance. However, I think the internet natives don’t always observe the highest ethical and factual standards as of yet. For news to thrive, and avoid devolving into opinion and gossip rags, we need both. Digital media, as a platform, has the potential to facilitate that, and frankly, I’m excited. I’ll just enjoy turning the pages of my Sunday paper with my chai latte while I can.
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Sophia, I would first like to point out how awesome it is that you made your own hypothesis! I also think you posted a good article and brought up a good topic with, “Ignoring People For Phones is the New Normal,” because too many times now, I have been out with friends where I’ll say something to them and they’ll be so invested into their phones that it’s just an awkward moment of silence until they’re done doing whatever it is that they’re doing and finally decide to look up at me and say, “Wait, what’d you say?” I can’t even get mad because I can be the same way, when you’re really into something on your phone, sometimes it’s hard focus on the world surrounding you. While I will admit that, that is the world that we live in today, I am ashamed to say that as well and think that, that’s something that society needs to change.
However, speaking on getting news on mobile devices, I agree with your hypothesis that is how majority of American get their news. Speaking on myself personally this is how I get my news. Whenever a big even happens I almost instantly get an alert to my phone informing me of whatever occurred from CNN and my news app on my phone. I get these alerts on my macbook as well. Although the news is easily accessible like this, I find myself never clicking on the apps to find out more about the story. Unless it becomes a big story on social media, I never click on the story when the notification pops up on my phone mainly because I feel that I found out all there is to know about the story from the headline.
Great post!
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Hello Sophie,
I thoroughly enjoyed the route you took in analyzing the Pew Research Center’s 2017 annual report. I would like to take a second of your time to discuss the two hypotheses you presented.
On your hypothesis number one, I would definitely agree with the stance you are taking. I receive a majority of my news from social media. I also regrettably admit to the fact that I am on my phone way too much in social settings. I wonder why people have transitioned to looking at their phones instead of talking to people? Do you think it’s because talking to people actually takes effort and looking at your phone is effortless?
On your hypothesis number two, I would also agree. I don’t think I have ever read the news from an actual newspaper. I have only read a newspaper for the comic strips in the back. It is an interesting thought how the decline of one industry is the birth of another.
Thanks for your input Sophie. I look forward to speaking to you about it in class!
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