MEDIA MYTHS & REALITIES
Viewpoints
“Compare and contrast” is a phrase that frequently opens questions on examination papers. In the case of the first look at media usage and credibility in the U.K. through the lens of the Media Myths & Realities survey, this is probably the best way to consider the outcomes in relation to previous data from the U.S.
The most notable difference pointed out by the survey is that consumers in the U.K. read national newspapers at nearly three times the rate of consumers in the U.S. The difference is striking, but there is some explanation.
There is a grand tradition of newspaper consumption and journalism in the “sceptred isle.” The high readership of national newspapers may be driven partly by their success at targeting different consumer interests. Brash “red-tops” peddle sex and scandal; midmarket tabloids showcase a combination of accessible serious news such as home, foreign and consumer news while being aspirational in tone; and “quality” newspapers offer straight reporting with features and political opinions to reflect the views of their readers.
However, style aside, the major advantage U.K. newspapers have over their U.S. counterparts is the much smaller geography of the U.K., which historically has made newspapers easier to distribute and more likely to reflect the whole of the U.K.
Looking at a newsstand in London, the potential buyer will see a world-class financial paper in the form of The Financial Times; four “quality” newspapers represented by The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Independent; two midmarket tabloids in Daily Mail and Daily Express; and three brash “red-tops,” namely The Sun, The Mirror and Daily Star. (Red-tops get their name from the newspapers’ mastheads, which are in red ink.) Travel anywhere around the U.K. and you’ll see the same newspapers on sale, supplemented by major regional dailies and, in Scotland, The Glasgow Herald and The Scotsman.
The wide availability of free newspapers likely contributes to high readership, too. Londoners walking out of a Tube station on the way to or from the office are assailed by offers of two or three free newspapers in morning and evening versions. Returning home, they typically find one or two free local weekly newspapers delivered to their door. But besides being free, these papers also are of a relatively high standard editorially, as many are produced by the national newspapers groups themselves and have some access to their content and resources.
The continued hold of national newspapers is far from a given. There are slightly fewer national dailies than 10 to 15 years ago (and The Independent’s future always seems perilous). With the exception of The Financial Times, there is a continuing decline in overall newspaper sales that affects most titles. And newspaper Web sites are growing in popularity. It is doubtful that the printed newspaper scene will still have all the current titles in five, let alone, 10 years’ time.
For now, though, national newspapers are an important part of any large PR strategy. For best effect, PR practitioners must have a clear understanding of each paper’s marketplace, its political leanings and whether it is into “lifestyle” material or not. Personal contacts are still important and will be ever more so as all news media cut back on staff and information resources.
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