Public relations and earned media software company Cision released its annual State of the Media Report, investigating the roles of truth and trust in the business of journalism. The company surveyed 1,999 journalists from ten different countries about their perceptions of the media and communications industries.
In 2018, we detailed the four most compelling discoveries from their research.
Here are the top five eye-opening takeaways from 2019:
Journalists are watching their metrics, and being influenced by them.
To benchmark success, most of the journalists surveyed measure total views or readership, engagement metrics, and revenue attribution. Sixty-five percent say these metrics have changed the way they evaluate stories.
Social media is becoming a bigger challenge.
Journalists say “Social networks and influencers bypassing traditional media” is the biggest challenge facing their industry, outpacing staffing and budgetary concern, and the rise of attacks on the freedom of the press.
Burnout is real.
Newsroom employment continues to decline, which has left one-third of journalists publishing more than seven articles per week.
Press releases are missing the mark.
If there’s one thing that PR professionals can do to help journalists do their jobs better, it’s to better understand a publication’s audience and what they find interesting. Seventy-five percent of journalists say less than a quarter of the pitches they receive are relevant.
Distrust is on the decline.
When asked if the public lost or gained trust in the media, 63% of journalists said they feel the public lost trust. While still quite high, it’s the lowest figure in years, down from a high of 91% in 2017.
In the swiftly changing journalistic landscape, it’s critical to continue observing yearly reports to keep our eye on shifts in the industry. Along with our frequent direct communication with journalists, these reports allow us to craft our media relations programs to fit a variety of shifting needs and preferences. Download the full report here.
