13-06-2023, 01:15 PM
(13-06-2023, 12:47 PM)justinh Wrote: Lots of hand-wringing on here over the months about how the UK opts don't provide the headlines in the same way that news channels traditionally do, but that's completely rational when you think about the fact that the bulk of the audience is watching online now.I mean, is this actually true? Is there any data to back it up? People keep making sweeping statements about nearly all people watching on phones or online but never provide any actual evidence - especially as it negates the little four-screen data that is publicly available.
More than ever, live news is only being consumed when something big happens - rather than as something you leave on, dip into briefly, or (even more rare) as appointment viewing. Most people watching the UK opt are doing so in a web browser or on an app. And they're doing so because they want to know about updates about Nottingham specifically. Far fewer are watching the output as a news *channel* so to speak.
While it is true that audiences peak during certain news events, the idea that few watch the News channel as a TV channel isn't particularly credible as there is a clear baseline of viewing figures for each slot - with clear parts of the schedule (primarily evenings and certain parts of the weekend) when the audience is routinely higher. That wouldn't happen - particularly in those slots - if at least certain people weren't watching it as a traditional TV channel.