In 2020, News Media Has Redefined Its Importance To Australians’ Daily Lives

Online news article on tablet screen. Electronic newspaper or magazine. Latest daily press and media. Mockup of digital portal and website. Happy person using web service in the morning. Reading text.

In this op-ed, Foxtel Media national partnership manager Johan Lamprecht discusses the uptake on news consumption this year and how news media has redefined its importance to Australian’s daily lives… 

With bushfires, COVID-19, and unrest in the US with the ongoing electionn – it has been one of the biggest news years of all time.

Australians have consumed news content in record numbers the last 12 months. There has never been greater demand for up-to-date local and global information. In Australia, the percentage of heavy television news viewers rose to 70 per cent  at the beginning of the year with 69 per cent of users sharing or interacting with news on social media, a 6 per cent increase compared to last year.

All forms of the media, but specifically television and digital media have become increasingly important to people and driving the already long-established 24-hour news cycle. News publishers play a fundamental role as one of the public’s most important communication partner.

The numbers back it up: on Foxtel for example, Sky News has ranked as the #1 channel on Foxtel, with an average audience increase of 42 per cent year-on-year . With the channel’s all-day average audience up 42 per cent , the viewing trends have also reflected a shift in when people are tuning in while, seeking the latest updates, or perhaps on a break while working from home:

  • Mornings 9am-12pm delivered a record increase of 74 per cent year-on-year
  • Daytime 9am-5pm up 68 per cent year-on-year
  • Primetime 6-10pm up 32 per cent year-on-year

Online, Sky News Australia also delivered more than 650 million video views on digital platforms, up 360 per cent year-on-year .

The network has become Australia’s #1 commercial news channel on YouTube and has been the most engaged Australian media brand on Facebook for the past nine consecutive weeks. And viewers are not only following local news providers.

CNN has seen record-breaking digital traffic from Australians looking for a global perspective. In the first half of 2020 CNN.com International attracted a monthly average of 3.2M unique visitors in Australia, seeing a year-on-year increase of 66 per cent .

Additionally, CNN Digital properties generated 35 million monthly page views, surging by 85 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The record-breaking broadcast and digital engagement with news this year has been driven by the public’s desire for live press conferences and health updates, top performing primetime line-ups, exclusive interviews, investigative specials and documentary programming.

And as the US election continues to unfold, news will continue to play an essential role in helping us to understand the global trends that have a real impact here in Australia.

One thing that has become clear: in 2020 news media has redefined its importance to Australian’s daily lives.

 




Please login with linkedin to comment

News

Latest News

Marc Collister: AI & Automation Set To Revolutionise Creativity In 2024
  • Opinion

Marc Collister: AI & Automation Set To Revolutionise Creativity In 2024

Marc Collister (pictured) of P2 Content Creators spills the beans on his 2024 predictions drawing from two decades of experience in the advertising, film and television industry. I’m certain it will come as no surprise that in 2024, we can expect our industry to move at breakneck speed again. With even more rapid shifts in […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Reddit Recap Reveals That Aussies Went Nuts For The Tillies, Eurovision And, Erm, Finance
  • Technology

Reddit Recap Reveals That Aussies Went Nuts For The Tillies, Eurovision And, Erm, Finance

Reddit’s annual Recap report has revealed the issues and moments that captured Australia’s collective mind over 2023 with, naturally, the Matildas featuring high on the list. The inaugural Australia-hosted Women’s World Cup saw Aussies glued to the footy (or, indeed soccer) with one enterprising user capturing the moment that Cortnee Vine scored the winner against […]

Zeno Group Australia Bolsters Client Offerings With An Expanded Creative Services Portfolio & New Senior Leader
  • Marketing

Zeno Group Australia Bolsters Client Offerings With An Expanded Creative Services Portfolio & New Senior Leader

Zeno Australia has announced expanded creative design capabilities and the appointment of Jim Michell (lead image) to its senior leadership team. The new moves support strong growth in the region. Zeno Australia’s clients, including Abano Healthcare, Motorola and Yorkshire Tea, can now tap into a suite of creative design services to augment the agency’s work […]

Spikes Asia Announces Its 2024 Jury Line-Up
  • Marketing

Spikes Asia Announces Its 2024 Jury Line-Up

Spikes Asia, APAC’s most prestigious and sought-after Award for creativity and marketing effectiveness, has revealed its 2024 Jury line-up today. The 93 industry experts from across 18 markets represent APAC’s leading talent from a diverse range of disciplines. 2024 sees the highest representation from brands, including Budweiser, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and, for the first […]

Assembled Media Inks TikTok Creator Campaign for BIC
  • Campaigns

Assembled Media Inks TikTok Creator Campaign for BIC

Assembled Media, is drawing upon the creative power of TikTok Creator Marketplace to help generate unique, impactful content for iconic stationery brand, BIC. The social activation campaign titled ‘A Pen for Every Side of You’ promotes the flexibility of BIC’s 4 Colours pen and is active nationwide on the BIC Stationery TikTok account. The campaign […]

Big data and analytics visualization technology with scientist analyzing information structure on screen with machine learning to extract predictions for business, finance, internet of things
  • Media

IAB Launches Fourth Module In Its Marketing Measurement Innovation Series

IAB Australia has launched ‘Evolution in Market Mix Modelling’, the fourth module in its Marketing Measurement Innovation Series, which has been developed by IAB Australia’s Ad Effectiveness Council. The module explores what is driving the increased use of MMM and how the technique is evolving with advances in computing power and machine learning to provide […]

Aerial view of a coal fired power station with large cooling towers emitting co2 into the atmosphere. With its lights already turned on the power station is illuminated in moody twilight.
  • Media

Scope3 Expands Carbon Measurement Capabilities To Include DOOH Advertising

Scope3, the collaborative sustainability platform leading the decarbonisation of media and advertising,  announced the addition of digital out-of-home (DOOH) to its emissions measurement. With DOOH ad spending predicted to grow from $17B in 2023 to nearly $24B by 2028, measuring this channel brings us one step closer to understanding the total impact of digital advertising […]

January 14, 2023 - New York, New York, USA: 2023 NRF Big Show press conference with Composition 2024 NRF Singapore.    Photo by Ian Wagreich / © Ian Wagreich Photography
  • Marketing

Now Open For Registration – NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific

NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific, is now open for online registrations for the main conference. Jointly organized by the National Retail Federation and Comexposium, Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific will take place from 11 – 13 June, 2024 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore and is expected to draw thousands […]

DBC2 Appoints Jason Fisher To Newly Created Role Of CEO
  • Marketing

DBC2 Appoints Jason Fisher To Newly Created Role Of CEO

Following a period of significant client growth, leading auto marketing agency, DBC2 has appointed Jason Fisher (lead image) to the newly created role of CEO. The appointment is part of DBC2’s long term growth strategy ahead of the agency announcing a brand refresh and expanded proposition in early-2024. As a new shareholder of the business, […]

Three New Hires At Amplify
  • Marketing

Three New Hires At Amplify

Extra pressure on Amplify's Nescafé Blend 43 catering tin today with the arrival of three new recruits.

Boomtown’s Final Masterclass Of 2023 Attended By Almost 100 Media Reps
  • Media

Boomtown’s Final Masterclass Of 2023 Attended By Almost 100 Media Reps

Don’t treat regional media as a charity, but a real growth opportunity: That’s the message from Boomtown’s final masterclass of 2023, attended by almost 100 media industry representatives from across the nation. The masterclass was part of a series of educational sessions, delivered by Boomtown, the media collective championing advertising in regional Australia. The sessions […]