Journalism for the modern screen
Newspapers are being put aside as publications respond to consumers’ growing expectations of instant news. Molly Geisinger ’15
News readers today include an increasing number of young adults with their mobile devices in tow. As a result, traditional publications must shift from hard copy to digital screens to keep up with their growing youthful audience.
In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, “young people are active news consumers, with particular attentiveness to breaking news,” according to americanpressinstitute.org. These young adults, ranging from 18-29 years old are “more likely to find news through web-based media.”
Some popular social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, are now significant providers of news and help major news publishers expand to reach their target audiences.
Traditionally printed publications, including The New York Times, have joined with social media companies to create a mutually beneficial partnership. When publications promote their content through Facebook, they often gain website traffic. In return, Facebook receives more material to include in its users’ News Feeds, according to The New York Times.
Social media websites and online publications have an obligation to not only draw readers to their sites, but also keep their readers interested and eager to return.
Publications realize that the delivery of their content through mobile devices is just as important as it is online, especially since a third of consumers under 50 years old receive news on a smartphone or tablet, according to journalism.org.
Aside from home delivery news and digital subscriptions, The New York Times also introduced new apps that appear on smartphones ranging from the iPhone to the Windows Phone, and tablets including the iPad and the Kindle Fire.
The New York Times‘ most notable effort to stay youthful in the digital age was the launch of its newest app, NYT Now, which offers an easy-to-navigate, handpicked spread of the latest headlines and summarizes them into bullet points.
Other recently-popular news platforms among young adult users are news and entertainment websites, including BuzzFeed, and daily e-mail and online newsletters, such as theSkimm.
Some students at Convent of the Sacred Heart find it helpful to receive daily summaries of the major headlines, including senior Ailish Cunniffe who travels frequently for horse riding competitions.
– Molly Geisinger, Co-Features Editor
