Video is in another golden age. How should newsrooms adapt? |
Jonathan Paterson speaking at Newsrewired in May 2022
Video is enjoying a golden age. Again. Supercharged by social platforms, video's power to distill complex issues in engaging, accessible formats is a hit with audiences.
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report found two-thirds of audiences watch short form news videos weekly, and over half engage with longer form video. No wonder publishers are chasing opportunities. Take for example The Sun identifying video as a key driver for growth. Or the welcome, if overdue, announcement that BBC News plans to double down on YouTube and TikTok.
Successful video meets audiences where they are. Nearly half of the UK’s internet users access YouTube daily. More than half (54 per cent) of the UK population use TikTok at least once a month. (Newsflash: they are not all under 35.)
YouTube, in particular, is coming for the broadcaster's lunch. In the US, YouTube has reported the most popular device for consuming its content is - drum roll - the television. The UK will not be far behind. Smart TVs with built-in apps have been a game changer.
Meeting audiences where they are is not just about the platforms. It is about understanding the storytelling techniques that work. How story selection, language. production styles shift in this space. Good YouTube is not the same as good television.
The successful video publishers have taken an understanding of audience behaviours, needs and interests. They have built formats that work for how audiences consume........