Is the news industry ready for another shift toward video?

This is especially true in countries outside the US and Europe, where news video consumption is growing fastest among young people. According to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s Digital News Report 2024, YouTube is used by nearly 31% of people weekly to watch news. In countries like India and South Africa, around half of those surveyed said they use the platform to watch news.

Illustration: GT

Meanwhile, for the first time, total news viewing on TikTok (13%) surpassed X (10%), with the gap being much larger in the Global South and among younger users. Many politicians have used TikTok’s growing reach to capture the attention of young people in their media campaigns, such as President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia, and former US President Donald Trump.

Research shows that TikTok users (and other newer platforms) tend to pay more attention to celebrities and social media influencers, rather than journalists or media companies, when it comes to news topics.

This year’s report also noted the rise of a new generation of news creators. Some accounts, for example, shared videos from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, documenting the brutal realities of life on the ground that mainstream media often refrain from reporting.

When analyzing the survey comments, the report identified three core reasons why audiences are drawn to videos and other content on social video platforms. The first reason is the uncensored nature of these videos.

One person said: "I like videos that are shot by an outsider. These videos are unedited and have no bias or political leanings."

The second reason is the convenience of watching news on a platform users are familiar with. Third, video platforms are appreciated for the different perspectives they offer. "I can find something on almost any topic, many different worldviews and perspectives. Long videos are for deep learning, short videos are for quick viewing," said a 23-year-old woman in the US.

66% of global survey respondents said they access short news videos each week, while longer formats attract around half (51%). The main focus of news video viewing is on online platforms (72%) such as YouTube rather than news sites (22%), adding to the challenges around newsroom revenue.

This shift raises some familiar dilemmas for news publishers. How can they leverage a format that can engage readers while also developing meaningful relationships and business on third-party platforms?

Many traditional newsrooms, rooted in a text-based culture, are working to build video skills and adapt their reporting to this new news format.

Video won't replace text anytime soon, but reports show that consumers are quickly turning to video because it's easy to consume and offers a wealth of engaging and relevant content.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters Institute, NiemanLab)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nganh-tin-tuc-da-san-sang-chuyen-huong-sang-video-chua-post300230.html